The Rugby Football Union Council today approved the new RFU/Premier Rugby eight-year agreement on the future of the sport in England.

Council members, who had been expected to rubber stamp the agreement, voted by 47 to one in favour of it.

The eight-year blueprint, announced at Twickenham on Tuesday, was designed to help England win the next World Cup, to ensure a successful financial future for the 12 Premier clubs and take the strain off weary international stars.

The major points of the agreement are:

:: The formation of England Rugby Ltd, a 50/50 partnership between the RFU and the country's top 12 clubs who make up Premier Rugby.

:: An eight-year strategic plan with a single management team to run the game and its finances at international and club level, including any expansion or curtailment of the Premiership.

:: The elite rugby plan will consider a possible further cross-border competition, expansion of the Premiership and a Conference-based system in the tiers below. It includes joint RFU/Premier Rugby funding of Division One.

:: There will be one automatic promotion and relegation played in seasons 2001-2 and 2002-3 to then be reviewed by a panel of three Premier Rugby representatives and three from National Division One and also an amalgamation of National Division One and the NCA Divisions.

:: The formation of a 50-60 strong elite England playing squad on single
playing contracts paid by the clubs, who would be restricted to 32 matches a year including no more than 10 internationals with a maximum of eight in any one season. Clubs would be forced to release players for all representative games.

:: A summer ``rest and recreation'' break of 11 weeks and an injury management programme which would allow top players to recharge their batteries as part of each player's performance programme under the control of the RFU performance director.

:: The establishment of development academies, supported by Sport England, who will contribute £8million over the next three years with an aim of developing 300 England qualified players.

:: A development programme to produce both elite coaches and referees.

:: The formation of a singe negotiating team to maximise revenue from TV and other commercial activities, including a marketing plan and the exploration of other joint ventures including ticketing, travel and new media.

:: Each Premier club will receive an equal share of a £1.6million handout in 2001-2 along with a share of a 4million ``bridging loan'', repayable by Premier Clubs in two years, to put them on a solid financial base. In future years the handout will be a guaranteed shared £4million with an extra £1million in World Cup years all previous debts to the ruling body will be wiped out.

:: The overseeing of the England Sevens squad, as part of the national set up. It will play in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.