Pre-tax profits at World Rugby for the World Cup year of 2015 are £189.7 million ($241.4 million/€226.4 million) ©Getty Images

World Rugby, the governing body of rugby union, has unveiled pre-tax profits of an impressive £189.7 million ($241.4 million/€226.4 million) for the World Cup year of 2015.

This was achieved on record revenue of £344.9 million ($445.3 million/€417.6 million).

Broadcasting contributed £129 million ($164.2 million/€154 million) of this figure, with sponsorship chipping in £64.8 million ($83.5 million/€77.3 million) and "merchandising and other income" - presumably including the £80 million ($101.8 million/€95.5 million) Rugby World Cup hosting rights fee - £151 million ($192.2 million/€180.2 million).

Administrative expenses were held relatively steady at £23.7 million ($30.2 million/€28.3 million), of which just over £8 million ($10.2 million/€9.5 million) went on wages and other employee benefits.

Compensation to "key management" - a term covering directors, Executive Committee members and the company secretary – totalled just over £1 million ($1.3 million/€1.2 million).

The retained earnings balance of £201 million ($255.8 million/€239.9 million) includes a non-distributable catastrophic injury reserve of more than £9.5 million ($12.1 million/€11.3 million).

World Rugby - which has enjoyed another landmark year in 2016 with the inclusion of rugby sevens on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games programme - said all funds received from last year’s Rugby World Cup would be reinvested in the game.

Rugby sevens made its Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016, where Fiji won the men's event ©Getty Images
Rugby sevens made its Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016, where Fiji won the men's event ©Getty Images

Chief executive Brett Gosper recently told insidethegames that World Rugby would reinvest around £245 million ($306 million/€289 million) into the sport before Tokyo 2020.

Bill Beaumont, chairman, said that the sport continued to "experience record global participation growth".

These financial results would, he said,"underpin our game-wide investment programme" and “ensure that we can build a strong and sustainable global game in partnership with our unions and regional associations.

"Rugby World Cup 2015 was a very special event on the field and we are delighted that its record-breaking commercial success is enabling World Rugby to deliver record investment in 2016 and beyond.

 "As the source of 90 per cent of our revenues, we need to ensure that the Rugby World Cup model continues to evolve to deliver the long-term financial platform for a sustainable and thriving sport."

At Rio 2016, Fiji defeated Great Britain 43-7 in the men's final, claiming their nation's first ever Olympic medal, while Australia beat New Zealand 24-17 in the women's final at the Deodoro Stadium.

To read the full financial statement click here.