ENGLISH rugby will profit from another massive cash input after negotiating a deal with bootmakers Nike.

The RFU are expected to cash in by £20 million over the next five years after Lions manager Fran Cotton allowed his Cotton Traders contract as suppliers of the international team's shirts to be taken over.

In four way negotiations, mobile phone firm Cellnet - who have had their name on England's rugby shirts - were involved but it is not known what their future participation is to be.

Cotton, a former England captain who owns Cotton Traders along with another former skipper Steve Smith, said: "All four parties are happy with the arrangement. But the financial arrangements wills remain commercially confidential."