Seb Davies is the latest homegrown star to commit his future to Cardiff Blues with a new contract.
The lock, who can also feature in the back row, is one of 28 Cardiff Blues academy graduates in John Mulvihill’s senior squad.
The former Ysgol Glantaf pupil is in the Wales squad for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations campaign, having won seven international caps since his Test debut against Tonga in June 2017.
Davies, who made his debut for the region in the Anglo-Welsh Cup win over Scarlets in 2014, signed his first senior contract with Wales’ Capital Region in 2017 and has gone on to make 68 appearances for the Arms Park outfit.
The 6ft 6in forward is excited for the opportunity to continue his progress with his home region and is confident that something special is building at the Welsh capital.
The athletic forward said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here since stepping up into the first team environment a few years ago, and now I’m looking forward to kicking onto the next stage of my development.
“As a group, we’ve already made some great memories, and we’re hungry for more success. You can see that we’re building something really special here.
“It was a no brainer to sign a new deal and extend my time here at Cardiff Blues.
“This is my home region and I’ve come through the ranks with a lot of these boys. There’s no better feeling than running out there with your mates every weekend.
“I’ve still got international ambitions, and making a commitment to Cardiff Blues will only help me to put my hand up and press for more caps in the future.”
The Welsh international was a member of the 2018 Challenge Cup winning side, memorably setting up the match-winning try in the semi final victory over Pau at Cardiff Arms Park.
Davies joins fellow academy graduates Dillon Lewis, Ben Thomas, Shane Lewis-Hughes and Josh Navidi in penning new deals with Wales’ Capital Region this season.
Mulvihill says homegrown talent, such as Davies, forms the core of the senior squad and he’s looking forward to see the lock hitting his peak years over the coming seasons.
The head coach said: “Seb is a really exciting, modern forward who offers us versatility in the pack. He has a fantastic skill-set which really sets him apart on the field.
“It’s easy to forget how young Seb is because he’s already built up a wealth of experience in his career so far. He still has the majority of his career ahead of him, and his potential is really exciting for us moving forward.
“We have made a commitment to producing players from within the region and from our academy. Those homegrown players are vital to what we are building here and they will form the core of our squad for years to come. Therefore it’s crucial that we retain players of Seb’s talent and potential.
“He’s playing week-in, week-out alongside boys like Nick Williams, Josh Turnbull and Josh Navidi, and that experience is moulding Seb into a senior member of the pack for the foreseeable future."