Ulster duo Rob Herring and Nick Timoney have committed their futures to the province until the end of 2024-25 season.
The experienced pair signed contracts to prolong their stay at Kingspan Stadium for a further two and a half seasons. Head coach Dan McFarland, hailing the news, described both players as "first class operators".
32-year-old Herring, born in Cape Town and an Ulster players since 2012, has established himself as an international hooker, emerging as Ireland's first choice in the position early in Andy Farrell's reign before being supplanted in the pecking order by Ronan Kelleher for the 2022 Six Nations.
Herring has been, however, an important figure in Farrell's squad, coming off the bench to score the try which sealed the historic series win over New Zealand in the summer.
"I'm delighted to sign on again with Ulster, a province I’m really proud to represent," Herring said on signing his new deal.
"From players to support staff, the club is full of great people whose standards and ambition to win are very high. That’s something I’m excited to continue to be a part of over the next couple seasons."
The Dublin-born back-rower Timoney, twice capped for Ireland, has been at the province since signing as an academy recruit ahead of the 2015-16 season.
The 27-year-old has established himself as a first team regular for the province from 2017 onwards, winning the Player of the Season award for 2020-21 and topping the tackle charts in the URC in the most recent campaign.
"I'm delighted to be extending my time at Ulster," Timoney said.
"We've got an incredibly exciting group at the moment, and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can achieve over the next couple of years."
Head coach McFarland said the pair "exemplify the pace and physicality that we want to see from our forwards. They are first-class operators on the pitch and demonstrate that week in week out for the club, as well as in an international setting.
"I look forward to both playing a key role in driving forward our ambitions in the seasons ahead, with their influence on our club extending far beyond what happens for eighty minutes on the pitch. It’s going to be an exciting couple of seasons ahead for these two players, and us as a collective."
Ulster currently sit second in the URC table, with five wins from six games, their most recent victory coming in the inter-pro clash against Munster at Thomond Park.
In the inaugural URC campaign last season, they fell at the semi-final stage in agonising fashion, losing 17-15 to eventual champions Stormers, the Cape Town outfit rustling up a converted try with the clock past 80 minutes.
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