Director of rugby, Rob Andrew, said: “Andy has made a significant impact in a short period of time, and we had no hesitation in offering him a new contract.

“Despite still having another season left on his current deal, we felt his performances this season merited an extension to that, and we were more than happy to reach agreement.

“His physical style of play has helped to give us a new dimension upfront, and his attitude off the field has also been exceptional, so we are delighted that he will be here for at least another two seasons to come.

“We are currently in the process of finalising the paperwork with a number of our key players, and Andy certainly falls in to that category.”