Tuesday 30 June 2020 16:21, UK
Courtney Lawes and Dan Biggar are among 19 players to have agreed contract extensions at Northampton.
The Saints are currently fourth in the Premiership and will have a strong squad when the season resumes, after the suspension enforced by the coronavirus pandemic.
The 31-year-old Lawes, who has made 231 appearances for the club since emerging as an academy graduate, had been linked with a big-money move to France but has decided to remain with Northampton.
A club statement read: "Seven internationals are amongst those to pen new deals, with England's Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Teimana Harrison, Piers Francis and George Furbank joining Wales fly-half Dan Biggar and Scotland centre Rory Hutchinson in agreeing terms to stay at Franklin's Gardens.
"Alex Mitchell, Alex Moon and Fraser Dingwall - three Saints Academy graduates who all received their first England squad call-up during this year's Six Nations - have all also put pen to paper on contract extensions.
"Meanwhile the likes of club co-captain Alex Waller, Mikey Haywood, David Ribbans, James Grayson, Ehren Painter, James Fish, and Lewis Bean have all also been rewarded for a string of impressive performances in Black, Green and Gold this term, plus Alex Coles and Samson Ma'asi move from Northampton's Academy set-up into their first senior contracts."
Director of rugby Chris Boyd said: "Getting so many influential players bought in to what we're trying to achieve, and committed to staying with us for an additional two or three years, is a huge coup for Saints.
"The connection and cooperation of our players to back the club long-term has been great to see.
"We firmly believe we have the players in place already at Franklin's Gardens to compete at the very highest level of English and European rugby, and to challenge for every trophy available to us.
"We have a great balance of emerging and world-class players at our disposal, with a home-grown spine to the team, so it was vital for us to keep this exciting group together and build the core of our side."
