England head coach Stuart Lancaster extends contract until 2020

Lancaster took over from Martin Johnson on a permanent basis in March 2012, and has been tasked with leading England way beyond next year's home World Cup.

The 44-year-old will take England to the 2019 World Cup in Japan along with his coaching staff - Graham Rowntree, Andy Farrell and Mike Catt - who have also put pen to paper on new deals, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced on Wednesday.

Lancaster - who has a 60 per cent win percentage since taking the reins - is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to continue in the job, and has set his sights on both short and long-term success.

"It's great the RFU have got faith in us as a coaching group and its support has been critical to what we have achieved to date," he commented.

"While our focus is on the [November international] against New Zealand and the 2015 World Cup on home soil will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we want to build a team for England Rugby that leads into Japan 2019 and beyond.

"We believe that England Rugby is moving in the right direction, we have the right coaching and management team to take us forward and we are excited about the challenge ahead."

RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie added: "We are lucky to have a talented, committed and passionate coaching group.

"Coaching at international level is unique in that the time Stuart and the coaches have with the players is limited and in that regard, it requires a special and stable coaching team.

"We therefore feel it important to secure their long-term future and we believe this is entirely the right decision for the future of England Rugby."

England begin their upcoming November fixtures against world champions New Zealand - whose last defeat came at Twickenham in December 2012 - on November 8.

Lancaster's side will then take on South Africa - the only nation he is yet to beat as England coach - Samoa and Australia.