Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby Limited sign eight-year deal

England's bid to become the top ranked team in the world has received a shot in the arm after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) have signed an eight-year deal on Monday.

The deal, which is worth to be over £200million will allow the England coach Eddie Jones better access to the players, later deadline for selection, two additional training camps and also adequate rest for the national players.

RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie said the deal was signed keeping in mind the future of English rugby.

"This is a true partnership focussed on making English rugby the best in the world for club and country."

The deal's negotiation began two years back, but the RFU was kept busy dealing with the structure of European club competition and England's early exit from the 2015 World Cup.

One of Ritchie's fruitful move which reaped huge benefits was the appointment of Eddie Jones as the head coach from Stuart Lancaster following the World Cup debacle.

Under Jones, England are on an unbeaten streak and have clinched the Grand Slam in the 2016 Six Nations tournament and have also whitewashed Australia 3-0 which took them to the number two spot in the World Rugby Rankings.

Ritchie lauded Jones for bringing immediate results and said he was satisfied with the outcome of the deal.

"Eddie was heavily involved in all the situations around the deal and is very supportive.

"We feel we've got the balance right and Eddie is very happy with the access it gives him to players."

Describing it as a "significant financial deal", Ritchie believes the new agreement can have a positive impact overall.

"It's been a fairly intensive deal with a few gaps because we felt we had to get it right - it's a hugely important and very significant financial deal.

"The guaranteed payment on the first four years is £112 million and we all hope that in the second four years that figure will grow, but there are no guarantees."

According to the 'Professional Game Agreement' signed, Jones will have the luxury of naming 45 players in the England Elite Player Squad which was 33 previously.

Also the number of players for the training squad has been increased to 36 while the deadline to finalise the squad will be October as compared to August previously.

PRL chief executive Mark McCafferty revealed that the agreement was reached after hearing to Jones' vision of taking English rugby forward.

"One of the things he explained very clearly having worked all over the world was that we have the best set-up in the world in terms of facilities, back-up and support.

"But he also explained his frustration that because of that, and with the player base we have, that we need to be more successful at club and international level."

The England players, who have played the threshold minutes in November and during the Six Nations will now be given an additional weekend rest in addition to the existing 10-week summer off-season.