Alibaba chairman Jack¹ Ma, a relatively² recent investor³ in China’s surging football industry, is now hoping to promote another English import after signing a development and sponsorship deal with World Rugby.

阿里巴巴(Alibaba)董事长马云(Jack Ma)最近才投资了中国日益红火的足球业，如今又与世界橄榄球联合会(World Rugby)签订了一项发展和赞助协议，希望推动另一项从英格兰引进的运动。

Under the agreement, announced on Sunday, the e-commerce group’s sports division said it would make a “long-term multimillion US dollar investment in the development of rugby in China”.

根据周日宣布的协议，这家电商集团的体育部门表示，将为中国橄榄球事业的发展投入数以百万美元计的长期投资。

“We encourage young people to join rugby to cultivate the spirit of being strong-willed, aggressive, acquisitive and unified,” said Zhang Dazhong, chief executive of Alisports.

阿里体育(Alisports)首席执行官张大钟表示，“我们鼓励年轻人参与橄榄球运动，发掘他们的顽强意志、攻击性、进取和团结精神。”

The deal was announced at the annual Hong Kong Sevens, the world’s premier⁴ seven-a-side tournament that is as famous for its off-pitch parties as it is for the on-pitch action.

该协议是在年度香港七人橄榄球赛(Hong Kong Sevens)上宣布的，这是一项世界顶级7人比赛，球场外的派对与球赛一样出名。

In exchange for its support of the sport, Alisports will be given exclusive rugby broadcast rights for its internet platform. The partners will also collaborate⁵ to help China host more international rugby events.

作为支持橄榄球运动的回报，阿里体育的在线平台将获得橄榄球比赛独家转播权。双方还将合作帮助中国主办更多国际橄榄球赛事。

Alisports was established by Alibaba in September with minority investors⁶ including Sina and Yunfeng Capital, a private investment vehicle controlled by Mr Ma.

去年9月，阿里巴巴创建阿里体育，少数股东包括新浪(Sina)和由马云控股的私人投资公司云峰基金(Yunfeng Capital)。

“This deal will ensure an unprecedented⁷ platform for rugby to reach, engage and inspire new participants across China,” said Bernard Lapasset, World Rugby chairman.

世界橄榄球联合会主席伯纳德•拉帕塞(Bernard Lapasset)表示：“该协议将建立一个空前的橄榄球平台，让中国各地的新参与者参与进来并激励他们。”

Mr Ma, 51, is China’s second-richest man with a fortune estimated at $22.7bn, according to the annual Hurun report. He was previously⁸ the country’s richest man before being surpassed by Mr Wang, whose wealth grew by more than 50 per cent last year. In 2015, Mr Wang paid $52m for a 20 per cent stake in Spain’s Atlético Madrid.

在胡润(Hurun) 2016年百富榜上，51岁的马云排名第二，据估计，他的财富总额为227亿美元。他之前曾是中国首富，如今被王健林超越，后者的财富总额去年增长逾50%。2015年，王健林斥资5200万美元购入西班牙马德里竞技俱乐部(Atlético Madrid) 20%股权。

But it is far from certain that Chinese tycoons⁹ such as Mr Ma can do for rugby what they have done for football, given its much lower profile in the world’s most populous¹⁰ country.

然而，鉴于橄榄球运动在世界人口最多国家受关注的程度要低得多，马云等中国大亨能否在橄榄球领域做出他们在足球界做出的事情远非确定。

China has been represented only sporadically¹¹ at the Hong Kong Sevens by teams that have often been beaten heavily by other minnows.

中国仅偶尔派出球队参加香港橄榄球7人赛，这些球队往往被其他弱小球队击败。