Guinness Premiership
Exiles pair sign new deals
Scrum.com
January 21, 2009
London Irish lock Gary Johnson claims a lineout, Leicester v London Irish, Guinness Premiership, Welford Road, Leicester, England, September 13 2008
London Irish lock Gary Johnson has signed a new three-year deal with the club © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Danie Coetzee | Gary Johnson

London Irish forwards Danie Coetzee and Gary Johnson have signed new deals with the high-flying Premiership side.

Former South Africa hooker Coetzee, 31, has signed a season-long extension with the club that he joined in 2005, while second-row Johnson has signed a three-year deal that will keep him with the Exiles until the end of the 2011-12 season.

"I've enjoyed my rugby at London Irish over the past five years and look forward to contributing to realising the ambitions of our talented squad for another season," said Coetzee, who won 15 caps for the Springboks between 2003 and 2006.

Johnson has progressed through the ranks at Irish, having graduated from their academy into the senior side two years ago. "Toby Booth recruited me into the Academy and he is now giving me the opportunity to play in one of the best teams in the country. I've no doubt we have a big future and I want to be part of it," he said.

Head Coach Toby Booth emphasised the importance of retaining key players following recent speculation of Premiership clubs cutting squad-sizes due to the impact of the credit crunch.

"There is much debate about the squad sizes of the Premier Rugby clubs. Everyone knows that we are backing quality over quantity in our squad. The two players whose re-signings we're confirming today contribute greatly to maintaining the quality of our playing staff," he said. "Most clubs with large squads end up with a small core of players that play regularly, all our players get game time and Danie and Gary are a key component in ensuring we continue to compete at the top level."

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