Wednesday 17 December 2014 15:25, UK
Forwards Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes have signed new deals with reigning Premiership champions Northampton.
The England internationals are two of seven players to have signed on at the Saints in recent days.
Hartley, the club’s hooker and skipper, had been linked with a possible move to French club Montpellier after next year's World Cup but he will now remain at Franklin’s Gardens on a three-year deal.
I don’t want to come across all ‘holier than thou’ over this, but I do believe the world loyalty has gone out of fashion a bit, and for me that really means something.
He has clocked up almost 200 first-team appearances since joining in 2005 and has earned 61 England caps while Lawes, who joined in 2007, has made 36 appearances for the national side.
Hartley wrote in his column in The Sun : “It’s no secret I was offered a deal to join one of the leading French sides, Montpellier, which would have been worth significantly more. But money isn’t everything.
“I don’t want to come across all ‘holier than thou’ over this, but I do believe the world loyalty has gone out of fashion a bit, and for me that really means something.
“I have a great admiration for the one-club men, across a variety of sports, and if I can finish my career with Saints as my only professional club I’ll be a very proud man.
“Saints have shown incredible loyalty towards me, particularly during my well-documented disciplinary issues, and it’s great that I can take this opportunity to try to repay their faith in me.
“And I’m obviously aware that staying at Saints means I will continue to be eligible for England in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup, not just next year’s competition.
“A move to Montpellier would not have threatened my participation in 2015 as I would not have joined them officially until after the World Cup.
“The promise of around 300 days of sunshine made the opportunity to play abroad very tempting. But I’ve no doubt that I’ve made the right decision.”
Other players signing contracts with Northampton are flanker Calum Clark, props Alex Waller, Ethan Waller and Gareth Denman and lock James Craig.
Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder added: "We have a group that has shown time and again that they have the ability to compete at the highest level of club rugby, and retaining players is very important to us.
"The seven forwards that we have announced today are all good players already but they still have the ability to improve.
"We are looking forward to seeing them develop further at Franklin's Gardens."
