England players receive pay rise as part of new four-year RFU deal

England have been training all week before Saturday's Test against South Africa at Twickenham

A new four-year, £20m deal for England players has been welcomed by Rugby Football Union chief Ian Ritchie.

The new terms will see players earn in excess of £20,000 per Test match, excluding bonuses.

"These are exciting times for English Rugby, and the deal offers a significant uplift from the previous deal," said Ritchie.

The RFU posted record figures last year, with profit rising to over £100m after England hosted the World Cup.

England exited the World Cup in the group stage but have achieved success since under new coach Eddie Jones.

They won the Six Nations Grand Slam for the first time since 2003 in February and completed a first 3-0 series win by a touring side in Australia since South Africa in 1971.

The new deal, which was negotiated by the Rugby Players Association, will cover training fees, image rights payments and squad performance bonuses.