Ulster have announced that scrum-half John Cooney has signed a new three-year contract that will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until 2022.

Cooney joined the province last year from Connacht and enjoyed an outstanding debut season that saw him selected in the PRO14 Dream Team.

Commenting on his decision to re-sign, Cooney told Ulster’s website: “I’ve had an unbelievable time since I moved up here and I’m delighted to commit my long-term future to the club. The players, staff and supporters have all welcomed me with open arms and shown me incredible support.

“The character that everyone within the organisation displayed last year, in challenging circumstances, was really impressive and I’m immensely proud to represent Ulster Rugby.

“Bryn and Dan are creating a very ambitious young squad and I’m excited about what we can achieve as a group over the next few years, through a combination of hard work and talent.”

Ulster’s Operations Director, Bryn Cunningham, added: “John has become a key player for us and it was crucial to get him signed up on a longer-term deal. The number of Man of the Match awards he won last season and the chants of ‘Coo-ney’ around the stadium says it all about how much he has contributed!

“His energy and competitiveness, allied to his desire to continually improve, is helping us to drive standards day in, day out, and that is hugely important in terms of us striving for future success. We believe that John, like so many of our players, has his best years ahead of him.

“With the age profile of our squad being really exciting for future years, it will be up to players like John to provide us with leadership and experience in the coming seasons.”