Leo Cullen has signed on for two more years as Leinster's head coach, which means he will be a decade in the job when his new contract ends.
Cullen has been in the habit of agreeing one years deals in recent season, but confirmation of this extended deal is good news for the province in the wake of senior coach Stuart Lancaster's decision to move to Racing 92 as head coach at the end of this season.
The Greystones man will provide stability at a time when Leinster must adjust to life post-Lancaster.
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Cullen, who won 221 caps for Leinster as a player, plus 32 caps for Ireland, has been the Blues' boss since August 2015 after a spell as the province's forwards coach.
The former second row skippered Leinster to three Heineken Cups. He retired from playing at the end of the 2013/14 season and was initially appointed as forwards coach in the summer of 2014 under Matt O’Connor.
He became the first man to conquer Europe as a player and head coach after guiding Leinster to the Champions Cup crown in 2018 and the Blues have also won four URC titles on his watch.
Cullen said: "It is a great honour for me to be asked to extend my time at Leinster Rugby. I feel very fortunate to able to work with such a brilliant group of people here.
"Many thanks to (new CEO) Shane Nolan, Guy Easterby and the Leinster Professional Game Board along with David Nucifora from the IRFU for their continued support and backing of me through this process.
"Also to my family and friends, who only show me love and support, thank you for all the sacrifices you make.
"We are entering a really exciting period of the season and we are all focused on delivering our best in front of lots of people who have backed us all through our careers."
Reacting to the development, Nolan said: "This is great news for all Leinster Rugby supporters.
"Since 2015, Leo has done a remarkable job as Head Coach of Leinster Rugby and securing his signature was one of my top priorities.
"The consistency and the leadership he displayed as a player, we see again as Head Coach in keeping Leinster Rugby competitive season after season.
"And he does that by surrounding himself with good people and by trusting the player pathway and the from the ground up model that we have developed here in Leinster through our clubs and our schools.
"I am delighted that he has agreed to stay on and I wish him all the very best for the run of games that we have left this season and for the two seasons beyond that.
"It’s an exciting time ahead and I am delighted that Leo is with us to drive the club forward."
And IRFU Performance Director, David Nucifora, commented: "The province is starting a new chapter next season with the loss of some influential voices in their environment, so it was important that Leo agreed to sign on for a further two years.
"He is a driving force behind a lot of the good work that goes on at Leinster and the stability and insight he brings will enable Leinster to transition successfully while also continuing to compete for honours and bring through new talent."
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