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98 WORLD RUGBY YEAR IN REVIEW 2015FINANCIAL REPORT | GAME INVESTMENT PROGRAMMESRepresenting 43 per cent of the annual budget in 2015, World Rugby’s four key game investment programmes helped produce significant investment highlights in 2015, including improved performance by tier two RWC teams and a threefold year-on-year increase in Get Into Rugby participation.GAME INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES IN 2015As a major part of our annual rugby operations, which also includes implementing a suite of international tournaments, World Rugby’s four key game investment programmes – high performance, development, training and education and regional competitions – provide for the future of the game. Each programme has an investment application element targeting specific member organisations (from the 103 full member unions and six regional associations), who apply annually for an allocation of funding to implement in-country or in-region initiatives, and an element of centralised programme operations.ProgrammeOrganisations invested in 2015 Investments (£m)2015 Operations (£m)2015Total Budget (£m)High Performance20 high performance tier one and two unions, plus four fringe unions (some investment also in tournaments programme) 6.7 0.6 7.3 Development103 full member unions and six regional associations 7.9 0.7 8.6 Training and Education103 full member unions and six regional associations (investments allocated under Development Programme) - 2.4 2.4 Regional CompetitionsSix regional associations 4.2 - 4.2 Totals 18.8 3.7 22.5 BandingUnions1. High Performance Tier 1Argentina, Australia, England, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Wales (10 unions)2. High Performance Tier 2Canada, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Romania, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay, USA (10 unions)3. Performance 1Chile, Portugal, Russia, Spain (4 unions)4. Performance 2Belgium, Hong Kong, Kenya, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Tunisia, Zimbabwe (7 unions)5. Development 115 unions6. Development 228 unions7. Development 329 unionsMember Unions Banding Categorisation 2015Game Investment Programmes 2015Union bandingThe level of investment available to a full member union is dependent on their banding categorisation, which is reviewed annually according to a range of set criteria. There are seven bands – two high performance bands are filled by the RWC 2015 participating nations, while two performance and three development bands are filled by the other 83 unions.