MELBOURNE, April 22 (Reuters) - Rugby Australia reported a record A$70.6 million ($50.56 million) surplus in its 2025 financial accounts on Wednesday, driven largely by the lucrative British and Irish Lions tour.
The result turned around a record deficit of A$36.80 million on the previous year, allowing the governing body to exit a private loan ahead of schedule and accelerate plans for an investment fund to underpin the game's future.
"We have made great progress in ensuring the proceeds of our major events – including last year's record-breaking British and Irish Lions tour – will set up our game to thrive long-term," RA boss Phil Waugh said in a statement.
RA said it generated total revenue of A$262.2 million in large part due to the Lions tour and match-day takings of A$146.8 million.
A total of 373,168 fans attended the Wallabies' seven home tests in 2025 at an average crowd of 53,308 – an all-time Australian record for a non-home Rugby World Cup season.
RA expects to bank another major windfall from hosting the World Cup in 2027.
Despite the strong year commercially, the Joe Schmidt-coached Wallabies continued to labour on the field.
After losing the Lions series 2-1, the Wallabies finished third in the Rugby Championship with a 2-4 losing record and passed a winless tour of Europe, finishing the season ranked a lowly eighth in the world.
Australia host Ireland, France and Italy in the inaugural Nations Championship tests in July.
($1 = 1.3965 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
