Connacht have moved to further secure their squad by agreeing new contracts with Darragh Leader and Denis Buckley.
The western province yesterday announced that young back Niyi Adeolokun had committed his future to the side and now both Leader and Buckley have followed suit, signing new two-year contracts.
Galway-born Leader and Buckley from Roscommon are both graduates of the Connacht Academy and have worked their way up to regular starters in the senior team.
The 21-year-old Leader, from Castlegar in Galway, was this month included in Joe Schmidt's 37-man Ireland training squad for the first time. Although uncapped, the full back was named as 24th man in the test match with Georgia and earned valuable experience in the international set up at a young age.
Front row forward Buckley made his senior debut in September 2011 in the province's 11-9 win away to Benetton Treviso. The loosehead prop, who played his club rugby with Creggs RFC, has since notched up 58 appearances in the Connacht jersey.
Commenting on the latest deals head coach Pat Lam said: "When we go out to the clubs and schools around the province, it is the local guys like Denis, Jack Carty, Eoin McKeon, John Muldoon that the young children see as their heroes.
"They've come through Connacht's systems and age grade structures and are now playing week in week out for their home province.
"These kids can then see Robbie Henshaw and Darragh involved with Ireland and that helps us to grow the game in the region which is one of our main responsibilities at Connacht Rugby."
