The four-year arrangement, with the England team and the Rugby Football Union, is worth £3million annually and continues a relationship that began in 1995.

It will cover areas from Sir Clive Woodwards national squad to new partnerships with Premier Rugby and the 02 rugbyclass, a grass roots initiative aimed at young players.

O2 has been a long-standing supporter of the England rugby team and has made a great contribution to the sport, said Woodward.

I am looking forward to working with O2 in the future to enable them develop more innovative products and services that might help the England coaching team do their job to maximum effect.

O2 chief executive David McGlade added: The new sponsorship deal reflects O2s commitment to the sport - from the elite squad to the grass-roots level.

England winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup demonstrated the huge value of O2s contribution to the England team and the RFU.

This highly successful sponsorship is not simply a badging exercise, but an integration of all the marketing disciplines with O2s mobile technology, interactive services and online content.

The new agreement will see O2 continuing as England shirt sponsor until 2008, in addition to increased branding and hospitality at Twickenham.