The academy will provide resources and activities based on six curriculum areas - coaching, athletic performance, match officials, performance analytics, high performance and leadership.

Resources will include videos, training tools and webinars on YouTube.  

It will be available to the whole elite performance environment, from national coaches and staff through to domestic personnel.

The academy aims to ensure the momentum of technical upskilling continues during the pandemic, and that high-performance staff will be ready once sport resumes. 

"As we navigate the unprecedented global challenge caused by the COVID-19 situation, we are using the lockdown environment as an opportunity to ensure that the sport is in optimal position when we restart by sharing knowledge, delivering courses and building further capacity through a series of ground-breaking webinars and workshops," said World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont.

"This activity is creating engagement across the globe and will enable us to continue to roll out our leadership programme and activities even though we are unable to have any face-to-face contact. 

"It is a model for the future and one that I am sure will be very successful in strengthening our sport."