10:58am Tuesday 9th February 2010
By Tom Guest
GREG Rawlinson has handed Worcester Warriors a massive boost by finally putting pen to paper on his new one-year deal.
The former All Black lock had been attracting attention from clubs around the globe, but has opted to extend his Sixways stay.
Man mountain Rawlinson, who has made three appearances for New Zealand, has made a huge impact during his time with Warriors since joining in 2007 from Auckland Blues.
The South Africa-born second row has followed in the footsteps of Matt Mullan, Miles Benjamin, Chris Pennell, Marcel Garvey, Aleki Lutui and Greg King, who have all signed new deals in recent months.
The 31-year-old, who has made a total of 67 appearances to date for Warriors, said: “I'm very pleased to have signed. I'm now looking forward to the rest of this season, as we look to push up the Guinness Premiership table.
"I'm very settled and happy in the UK too so I'm delighted to be able to extend my stay with Warriors and that the club also wants to me to remain a part of its plans.
"I've really enjoyed my time at Warriors so far. There have been a lot of positive changes since I've arrived and being a part of that process has been a fantastic experience for me. The future is bright for the club and I'm very keen to be a part of that.
"The fans have also been absolutely awesome ever since I turned up. We enjoy big crowds at home and also on the road, as shown by the numbers we will take to Wembley this weekend. It makes such a big difference and I would love to be able to bring them more success with my new contract."
Warriors director of rugby Mike Ruddock revealed his delight that key figure Rawlinson had decided to stay at the club as Worcester prepare to return to Guinness Premiership action this Saturday against Saracens.
"Greg has signed a one-year contract extension to enable him to carry on helping us achieve our goals of moving further up the league table and improving season upon season," said Ruddock.
"Greg is Mr Physicality as far as we are concerned at Warriors and his presence in our team really helps us to impose ourselves on the opposition.
"He's contributed greatly during his time at the club and wants to see club performances grow next season, hence his commitment to stay longer.
"As a former All Black, Greg brings quality to our panel and he is an excellent role model for all the younger players in the club with his dedicated, professional approach and whole-hearted commitment.
"We're particularly pleased that Greg has decided to stay at Warriors after he attracted a lot of interest globally. There were a number of clubs and franchises that attempted to secure his services next season.
"His belief in us now gives us the confidence to keep pushing forward with our game and our plans to improve."
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