Captain Duffy commits to Connaught

Connacht captain Gavin Duffy has signed a contract extension to stay with the province until at least 2014.

The ten-times capped Ireland international is delighted with the new deal and said about his decision to stay at the Sportsground for the next two years: "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."

Connaught head coach Eric Elwood was thrilled with the news and commented: “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.”