Sportsground trio commit to Connacht

Connacht trio Frank Murphy, Miah Nikora and Ronan Loughney have committed their future to the western province after signing two-year contract extensions.

Former Munster and Leicester Tigers scrum-half Murphy joined Connacht at the start of the 2008/09 season and to date has made 60 appearances scoring 20 points. The 29-year-old said: 'It's great being part of such a dedicated and hard-working squad and management and being part of Connacht for the next two years means a lot to me.'

Nikora, a former New Zealand Schools, under-19 and under-21 international, joined Connacht at the start of last season from ITM Cup side Tasman. He quickly established himself as a fans' favourite in The Sportsground with match winning kicks against both Bourgoin in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final and against Edinburgh in the Magners League.

'I'm delighted to be able to commit to Connacht for the next 2 years' said Nikora, 'I've really settled in here, and so have my family. There's a great work ethic in the squad and the coaching staff provide a dynamic environment in which to work in.'