Rugby’s world governing body pursued a policy of focusing on the periods of highest risk - those of close-season, injury and recovery periods.

To date only one anti-doping rule violation has been concluded and reported from the overall 2017 programme with an additional two cases pending.

A total of 72 per cent of the World Rugby programme tests were undertaken out of competition, reflecting the Federation’s policy of prioritising an intelligence and risk-based approach in elite rugby.

Details revealed show the 2017 programme, run in partnership with regional and national anti-doping organisations, comprised 2,433 blood and urine controls undertaken across men’s and women’s sevens and 15s programmes.

This timeframe featured the establishment of partnerships between rugby’s world governing body and new independent test services providers, resulting in an increased focus on intelligence and information sharing and educational programmes.

Players from 62 nationalities in 35 countries were tested, and a total of 48 per cent of tests were subjected to additional analysis for either erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs), growth hormone (GH) or growth hormone releasing factors (GHRFs)

A total of 187 additional samples were collected as part of World Rugby’s athlete biological passport programme.

There were 131 tests undertaken within the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 programme.

Strategic long-term storage of samples will provide opportunities for future re-analysis.

The complete 2017 programme figures are due to published by the World Anti-Doping Agency later this year.

World Rugby Anti-Doping Advisory Committee Chairman John O’Driscoll said: "Doping remains one of the biggest threats to the integrity of sport and World Rugby is committed to protecting clean athletes and maintaining a level playing field through intelligent testing and values-based education."

World Rugby Anti-Doping general manager Mike Earl added: "World Rugby is committed to effective, risk-based anti-doping testing.

 "We take our role very seriously and strive to ensure that players at all levels of the game understand the importance of competing clean and that those who choose to cheat are detected and removed from our sport.

"This comprehensive programme, featuring a two-thirds proportion of out-of-competition versus in-competition testing, haematological and steroidal biological passports, and additional analysis conducted on almost half of all samples collected, reflects our commitment to utilising all available tools for effective testing and analysis in this important area."