Connacht captain Gavin Duffy has penned a contract extension to stay at the Sportsground until at least 2014.
ith the experience of four years at Harlequins, ten Ireland caps and over 100 appearances for Connacht to call on Duffy's leadership has been evident.
After a to a series of close losses earlier in the season, Duffy helped Connacht pulling out all the stops and beating Aviva Premiership leaders Harlequins before toppling Edinburgh, drawing with play-off hopefuls Glasgow and thumping the Dragons in their own back-yard.
Commenting on his new deal, the fullback said: "Staying with Connacht means a huge amount to me, as a team we have become a really tight knit group this season and that is only going to get better next season as we add even more quality to the side.
"Staying at the Sportsground, and the security a two year deal brings, means I can concentrate on my own game, getting the best out of the people around me and driving Connacht forward.
"Staying in Ireland also means that I'm still available for national selection and winning more Irish caps is always a goal of mine."
Head Coach Eric Elwood welcomed the news and said: "I'm delighted that Gavin is here to stay. We all know he's very proud of where he comes from and it was a great honour for him to lead his team this year in our first ever Heineken Cup.
"We've enjoyed the highs and lows of this season and we're looking to finish on an up and getting news like this is great for the squad going forward into next year."
