Stuart McCloskey has committed his future to Ulster after putting pen to paper on a three-year contract extension that will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until 2022.
McCloskey made his Ulster debut in February 2014 and has since played for the province 82 times.
He has also been capped by Ireland three times.
Ulster’s Operations Director, Bryn Cunningham, said: “We have quite a young squad so having experienced players like Stuart on board is hugely important.
“Stu has really grown in stature over the past couple of seasons and is a key figure for us in both attack and defence.
"His ability to cross the gain line is well-known, but his playmaking abilities have developed under the coaching of Dwayne Peel and he is a massive threat with ball in hand. I’m sure we’ll see him improve even more in the seasons ahead.”
McCloskey, who developed his game at Bangor Grammar School and Dungannon RFC, said: “I’m really excited to have signed a new contract.
"I grew up dreaming of playing for Ulster and I feel privileged to now be in a position to pull the jersey on every week.
“We’ve recruited strongly and have a core group of experienced players who still have their best years ahead of them. We also have a large number of promising young players coming through the system, and I’ve no doubt that they will make a big impact in the coming years.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how things come together for us as we aim to bounce back to where we belong."
"Hopefully, the supporters can buy into that as well and we can reward their loyalty.”
