IRB reveal RWC windfall
October 11, 2000

The first ever IRB Annual Report has revealed that RWC'99 provided a net surplus of £47,016,317 which meant a huge increase in the grants awarded to member unions.

This IRB windfall will provide the substantial part of the planned £30m investment into rugby before the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

IRB Chief Executive Stephen Baines comments, "Rugby World Cup '99, the first of the new professional era, played a pivotal role in promoting the Board's global aspirations by taking the game to a massive world-wide television audience.

"As a consequence further financial support has also been provided in the form of capital grants to encourage the smaller unions in particular to have their own national facility; special project grants for those Unions earmarked withc particular potential; and grants for the enhancement of the competitions and tournaments programme."

Amidst rumours that ITV, broadcasters of the last three RWC's, have pulled out of the race for the television rights for the 2003 RWC, the announcement of who has won the broadcast rights for the tournament nears.

The consultancy firm IMG will decide on which firm gets the contract by the end of October out of a list of 11 currently in the running.

The full report, the first in the IRB's 114 year history, can be read in full on the Official IRB website.

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