There is no escaping the excitement that has built - and been dashed if you are an Englishman - during the group games of the Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2015.

As with any major sporting event, there has been much analysis on the potential economic impact of hosting such an event and with Newcastle playing host to three games it is clearly a subject close to our hearts.

With an established track record of welcoming large numbers of visitors, the city hopes to see up to 134,000 visitors over the two week period.

Overall, the 2015 RWC is expected to attract more international visitors than any previous world cup according to Ernst and Young (EY).

With these visits comes the hope of significant spending and its contribution to the host economy.

It is estimated RWC 2015 will contribute up to £2.2bn of output to the economy.

In terms of the contribution to actual gross domestic product (GDP), this is estimated to be £982m.

Unlike larger events, such as the Olympic Games and football World Cup, there has not been the requirement to build new stadia; instead, existing grounds and transport infrastructure have simply been upgraded, which will provide an ongoing benefit well after the tournament has ended.

At the time of writing, 40 matches have been played and a total of 1,881,023 people have attended games across all venues.

231 tries have been scored, alongside a mammoth total of 2,020 points, giving an average of 51 points per match.

On a more local level, Newcastle’s St James Park has hosted three games, including welcoming defending champions New Zealand to the ground.

The first game, on October 3, saw more than 34,000 visitors to the “Fan Zone” at Science City, run by Newcastle Falcons.

There is clearly an opportunity for local businesses to benefit from the RWC visiting the region and EY estimates an additional £43 in Gross Value Added (a figure comparable to GDP) should be brought to the local economy with an approximate 1,400 jobs being supported.

With an estimated 422,000 visitors to the UK, it is clear the RWC brings in a host of international visitors, eager to see who will ultimately lift the coveted Webb Ellis Trophy.

All of this should represent positive news, but for the elephant in the room.

England’s untimely exit as the host nation following their defeat to Wales and subsequently Australia has of course left England fans feeling bereft.

As fans come to terms with the disappointment, there has been speculation about whether certain companies and investors may also be feeling the pain.

Shares in pub groups, including those with venues in close proximity to Twickenham such as Young & Co.’s Brewery, were in the spotlight last week amongst fears that smaller audiences would impact takings.

In the same vein, some analysts predicted ITV, which paid £60m for the broadcasting rights for the 2011 and 2015 RWCs, could lose out as the price of advertising slots fall.

In reality, however, TV advertising spend is committed six to eight weeks in advance which almost negates England’s early exit and indeed the broadcaster’s drama programming is currently strong.

However, what is clear is that playing host to the RWC should bring with it measurable economic benefits both locally and nationally and it will be interesting to see the ultimate economic impact and legacy left behind for the host nation, after the Webb Ellis Cup has been lifted.