The IRB says it expects core investment to remain at around £50 million over the next three years, predicting that it will have spent at least £193 million ($312 million/€247 million) over the current four-year cycle (2013-2016), which eclipses the previous £150 million ($242 million/€193 million) from 2009 to 2013.

The funding programme includes an increased commitment to investment in player welfare, anti-doping and integrity strategies in both the men's and women's fifteens and sevens competitions, as well as high-performance and development initiatives, including the IRB's Get Into Rugby programme which has attracted more than one million new players to the game, according to the world governing body.

Rugby's world governing body says it will continue its commitment to increasing the competitiveness of the elite international game via its strategic investment programme, the third phase of which sees a renewed investment of £44 million ($71 million/€56 million) over four years.

The programme supports high performance projects and tournaments for targeted Rugby World Cup-level Unions, which the IRB claim has been the catalyst behind a two million increase in global participation since 2011.

"Our record investment is the driving force behind unprecedented growth in the game with more than 6.6 million men, women and children actively participating," said IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"The IRB is committed to ensuring that the sport has the strong foundations from which to foster further growth and reach out and inspire new fans in major new rugby markets, while ensuring a strong base.

"We are committed to ongoing investment in our Unions, at all levels, and continue to collaborate with them and our regional associations to ensure that we service and support their strategic needs.

"We are also committed to supporting our high-performance and development Unions through unprecedented investment in competitions to prepare Rugby World Cup 2015 and beyond to Rugby World Cup 2019."

Record levels of investment in rugby has coincided with the debut of rugby sevens at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games ©AFP/Getty Images



Investment in the elite level of the sport is driven primarily by revenues generated from the Rugby World Cup.

The IRB claims the Rugby World Cup brand is at an all-time high and is predicting that surplus revenues generated from next year's event in England will top £150 million ($242 million/€193 million), which it promises will be invested back into the game.

Organisers are confident they will shift upwards of a record 2.3 million tickets for the 48 matches at next year's tournament, while fans from more than 50 nations have already purchased tickets.

Rugby World Cup 2015 is also set to be the most viewed to date, with around 20,000 hours of action screened in more than 205 territories.

"These record levels of investment are made possible because of the continued growth of Rugby World Cup as one of the world's most successful, best-loved and largest major sporting events, providing the IRB with the long-term financial platform to develop and grow the game around the world," added Lapasset.

"The commercial programme for Rugby World Cup 2015 in England is on track to deliver a record net surplus for investment in the game with our top level worldwide partner programme locked down in record time and with record value and a wider broadcast platform."

The IRB is predicting record levels of revenue from Rugby World Cup 2015 which it says will be invested back into the game ©Getty Images



IRB chief executive Brett Gosper added: "The IRB's commitment to record development and growth in participation is reflected by the organisation's diligence in maintaining reduced operating costs and strategically investing in the Game for the period 2013-2016 through targeted programmes, including training and education, player welfare, tournaments and high performance.

"We are also investing significantly in men's and women's sevens as we count down to our Olympic Games return at Rio in 2016."

As well as rugby sevens debut at the Olympic Games in 2016, the IRB is set to rebrand itself as World Rugby at its World Rugby Conference and Exhibition in London next month in a move it claims reflects rugby's new standing in world sport.

Rugby World Cup 2015 is scheduled to take place from September 18 to October 31 and will see 20 nations competing for the Webb Ellis Cup.

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