England will have to make two major changes to their shirt for 2027 Rugby World Cup

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The RFU has agreed a lucrative multi-year partnership with Lloyds Bank, reportedly worth around £5million per year.

The deal will see the company’s famous black horse logo placed on the back of England’s men’s and women’s Test shirts, directly above the players’ names.

It is the first time England have sold that position on their match jersey, adding Lloyds to an impressive sponsorship portfolio that already includes O2, Allianz and kit supplier Castore.

However, England will be forced to remove both the Lloyds branding and the familiar O2 logo when they head to Australia for the World Cup next year.

Rugby World Cup commercial regulations prevent competing nations from displaying their usual shirt sponsors during the tournament.

That means the O2 logo, which normally dominates the front of England’s jersey, will disappear alongside the newly added Lloyds branding on the back.

Castore’s manufacturer mark and the traditional red rose will remain, but England’s World Cup shirt will otherwise have a considerably cleaner appearance.

Supporters saw the same change during the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, when England played without the O2 logo despite the telecommunications company remaining one of the RFU’s leading commercial partners.

The arrangement with O2 is not coming to an end. The company has renewed its long-running relationship with England Rugby through to 2031, extending a partnership which began in 1995.

Lloyds’ new branding is expected to make its first appearance on the Red Roses shirt during their WXV campaign before being introduced to the men’s kit for England’s Nations Championship fixtures.

The World Cup restrictions only apply for the duration of the tournament, meaning both sponsors can return to England’s playing shirts once their campaign in Australia is over.

England’s technical partnership with Castore will also continue, with the British company having replaced Umbro as the RFU’s official kit supplier in 2025.

The expanded 24-team 2027 Rugby World Cup will run in Australia from October 1 until November 13, with England hoping to improve on their semi-final finish in France four years earlier.