ULSTER HAVE BEEN boosted by news that Ruan Pienaar has signed a three-year contract extension.

Over the past couple of weeks, reports from France were suggesting that the South African scrum-half was set for a move to Toulon.

However, the 29-year-old, who has become a pivotal player for the province since joining in 2010, has been tied down with a new deal which will keep him at Ravenhill until the summer of 2017 at least.

“I am delighted to be staying at Ulster,” Pienaar said in a statement released by Ulster. ” I have really enjoyed my first three seasons at the Province and I am looking forward to helping the team compete for silverware in the coming years.”

“To be successful, you need top-class players, therefore I am extremely pleased that Ruan, who is one of the best scrumhalves anywhere in the world, is extending his time with us,” added Ulster’s Director of Rugby David Humphreys.

“The announcement of this contract will give everyone at Ulster Rugby – the players, the staff and the fans a huge lift, especially as it had been wrongly reported that Ruan would be leaving us.

It was no surprise to us that his services were coveted by other clubs, but we always knew that what we could offer him in terms of a great playing squad, a world class stadium and state-of-the-art training facilities would be enough to make him want to stay.

“Ruan’s decision to commit to three more years at Ravenhill is a huge endorsement of what we are doing at Ulster and I have no doubt that he will be a key part of our success in the coming seasons.”

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