Making the announcement, Robinson said that his priority was to appoint somebody that could see England through to the next World Cup in 2007.

"There are several players in the squad I would feel comfortable in calling upon to be England captain but for me Jonny is in every way the right player to take on this challenge. He is a natural leader, holds the respect of the whole squad, is a formidable talent on the pitch and consistently demonstrates the energy and commitment I feel is essential to be captain of England."

"Captaincy offers a challenging environment for any player, especially following in the footsteps of Lawrence Dallaglio and before him the World Cup captain, Martin Johnson. But I am confident Jonny has what it takes to do an outstanding job as we look ahead towards the next Rugby World Cup in France and I look forward to working with him."

Wilkinson said he was thrilled to be offered the role by Robinson:

"It's the ambition of so many players to one day be captain of England and today I have realised a dream. I'm honoured Andy wants me to be his captain, and to follow Lawrence and Martin means a lot to me as they are inspirational men who have given so much to England rugby over many years."

"Getting my first England cap against Ireland six years ago was something I'll never forget because to play for your country is very special. Taking on the captaincy is another important step in my career and I do so with immense pride."