Franco van der Merwe signs Ulster contract extension

Ulster have announced secondrow Franco van der Merwe has signed a one-year contract extension, keeping him at Ravenhill until June 2017.

The 32-year-old, who picked up his solitary South Africa cap against New Zealand in 2013, has played in 15 of Ulster's 17 games this season and has been a vital presence in the absence of the injured Dan Tuohy and Iain Henderson.

On his new deal, Van der Merwe said: “I’m really pleased to sign on for another year with Ulster. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here and it was an easy decision for me and my family to take. We have felt very welcome from the moment we arrived and that is down to everyone involved in Ulster Rugby; the players, the management team and the supporters.

“This season has been a bit of a transition with Les (Kiss) coming in, but I’m really excited to be part of that the squad’s growth over the next 18 months. The challenge for us is to keep improving and pushing to achieve silverware, and I’m confident that we’ll continue to develop our game under Les and the other coaches.”

Ulster's Director of Rugby Les Kiss welcomed the news that van der Merwe would be staying in Belfast next season, he said:"To have Franco stay for another season is a fantastic boost for Ulster.

"His professional approach and the standards that he sets have been integral to the development of the young players coming through, such as Kyle McCall, Alan O'Connor, John Donnan and Stephen Mulholland. "