Fly-half Wilkinson has won more than 80 international caps for England

England international Jonny Wilkinson has signed a two-year contract extension with Toulon which commits him to the French club until 2013.

Wilkinson's new deal, announced on Monday, could potentially put the fly-half's England future in doubt.

The Rugby Football Union says overseas-based players will only be picked in exceptional cases after the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

Wilkinson, 31, was hugely influential when England won the World Cup in 2003.

The new deal was announced via a statement on Toulon's website.

Wilkinson has made a major impact following his move from Newcastle in the summer of 2009, scoring 302 points in his first season while helping Philippe Saint-Andre's side reach the final of the European Challenge Cup where they lost to Cardiff Blues in Marseille.

The 86-cap half-back has been similarly impressive so far this campaign, helping Toulon to the top of a testing Heineken Cup pool which includes Munster, Ospreys and London Irish.

He was voted the best overseas player in the French league at the end of last month, with Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal stating his desire to keep England's 2003 World Cup hero "at any price".

606: DEBATE Is Wilkinson jeopardising future opportunities with England?

Yet Wilkinson has dropped to second-choice behind Toby Flood in the England pecking order, and has not started a Test for his country since the Six Nations draw with Scotland in March after a shoulder injury kept him out of last month's autumn internationals.

"I am happy where I am, it fits the bill for me," said Wilkinson last week. "I can understand where they [the RFU] are coming from and what they're saying.

"For me, in my situation at the moment, my main aim is to keep getting better and I made a move [to Toulon] a year-and-a-half ago to try to continue to do that.

"I want to carry on doing that now. I am enjoying the experience and I'm learning a hell of a lot. I owe a lot to these guys."

The RFU has taken the decision to select from domestic clubs only in order to improve England's chances of winning the 2015 World Cup on home soil.

And an RFU spokesman reiterated on Monday: "We have always said that players are entitled to play in whatever country they choose. Our intent is to select from English-based players whenever possible.

"We don't rule out the fact that in exceptional circumstances that might not happen."

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