Ireland winger Jacob Stockdale has rejected French interest to sign a new deal with Ulster until 2027 at least.
Reports earlier this season stated that Racing 92 and Lyon were both interested in the 28-year-old’s services with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
However, on Tuesday, Ulster confirmed that the speedster will continue his career at the Kingspan.
Jacob Stockdale re-signs
Stockdale has endured a torrid run of injuries in recent times but he has forced his way back into the Ireland team after crossing for nine tries in 16 URC appearances for Ulster last season.
More recently, he notched up his 125th appearance for his home province and is one of the longest-serving senior players in the current squad after making his debut back in 2016.
The 28-Test cap speedster earned his most recent cap this November against Fiji but was notably named the Player of the Tournament in the 2018 Six Nations when he scored a record seven tries as Ireland went on to complete the Grand Slam.
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“I’m delighted to sign for the next couple of seasons”
“Securing Jacob’s future is key for us, given his importance in the team. It was no surprise to hear about interest in his signature from elsewhere, given his talent and special skillset,” Ulster Rugby’s General Manager, Bryn Cunningham said.
“We believe we are seeing Jacob get back to the form he was showing before his long-term ankle injury a couple of years ago. He has showed great resilience and hard work to get back to that level of strength and fitness.
“A fit and confident Jacob is one of the deadliest wingers in rugby and we think the next couple of seasons will see the peak years of his career, both for Ulster and on the international stage in a green jersey.”
Stockdale added: “I’m delighted to sign for the next couple of seasons here. I feel good about where my game is at and where this team is heading. There is a lot of excitement around the place with the young players coming up and I am enjoying my role as one of the experienced players in the team.
“There’s no better feeling than scoring in front of our fans at Kingspan Stadium under the lights and I want to keep making special memories as a proud Ulsterman!”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/one-of-the-deadliest-wingers-rejects-french-interest-to-sign-new-ulster-deal
