 The agreement should lessen the load on England's top stars |
An eight-year agreement on the future of English rugby has been signed off, meaning an end to the club-v-country row that has bedevilled the sport.
All 12 Guinness Premiership clubs have now signed the agreement, which was brokered by the Rugby Football Union and the clubs' negotiating teams.
The RFU will compensate the clubs in return for having total management control over England's elite players.
A bonus will also be paid to clubs for fielding England-qualified players.
The RFU's elite director of rugby, Rob Andrew, and the England coach will select and then manage a 32-man England squad.
The clubs will be compensated with an average year's salary for an elite player if a member of their squad is selected.
 | We are addressing those issues (of burn-out) - this agreement will certainly help Martyn Thomas
RFU chairman |
RFU chairman Martyn Thomas says the agreement will ensure that England's best players are at their peak for international matches.
BBC Sport has learnt that a study commissioned by the RFU, clubs and Professional Rugby Players' Association show levels of burn-out in the Guinness Premiership are two to three times higher than in New Zealand.
Thomas told 5 Live Sport: "What we will be doing in the new eight-year deal, which we have actually signed now, is to break the season up.
"The players will start in September and play internationals in November. In that first two-month period they will have to have one week off totally from rugby, so they will get a break before they go into the international period.
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"We will do the same in December/January, through to when the Six Nations starts.
"There will be a three-week period when they've got to be given a rest for one of those weeks, agreed by Rob Andrew and the director of rugby at each club.
"Then we'll do the same after the Six Nations and before the end of season, when there's a lot of pressure with Guinness Premiership, cup games and so on.
"I think we are addressing those issues (of burn-out). This agreement will certainly help."
The timing of summer tours will also be changed to avoid a repeat of last summer, when the England squad was shorn of players from Bath, Leicester and Wasps because of European cup final commitments.
"We've actually now put in place an English structure for the next five years ahead," Thomas said.
"We're moving the tours so we can guarantee we take the best players.
"The tour schedule will end and enable the players to have a complete 11-week period off before they start with their clubs on 1 December."
The club-v-country row, which has mainly been concerned with the release of players for internationals, has blighted the sport for the last four years and was the principal reason for Sir Clive Woodward's resignation as England coach.
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