Rory Thornton has agreed a new deal with Cardiff Rugby following an impressive season in the Welsh capital.
The towering second-row, who made his 100th appearance alongside Keiron Assiratti and Ben Thomas, earlier this season, was due to come out of contract in the summer.
But the Wales international has signed a new deal to continue at the Arms Park and he is excited by the future.
He said: “I’m pleased to have extended my stay in Cardiff. I love living here and the Arms Park is an amazing place to play thanks to the support we receive and atmosphere created.
“We currently have an awesome group of players with a great mix of young, exciting talent, regular internationals and experienced heads. The staff are also brilliant and together, with new signings also adding to the environment, we are all focussed on driving the club forward.
“On a personal level, I really enjoyed last season and felt I played some good rugby. I was pleased to get the opportunity to play as much as I did, and that is something I would like to continue while building on my performances.”
Thornton has been a mainstay during the 2025-26 season, making 18 appearances and scoring two tries.
A commanding lineout presence and tactician, Thornton has continued to develop his all-round game and remains a key leader and game driver in the capital, with a total of 115 senior appearances.
Cardiff Rugby head coach Corniel van Zyl said: “Rory is an important member of our group and has had a great season for the club.
“After the injury to Teddy Williams we had to form a plan to rotate Rory, George (Nott) and Josh (McNally) and all three played a lot of minutes and did really well.
“He is an excellent set-piece second-row, who brings a lot of experience to the pack and team. He is a good leader and decision-maker in high pressure moments, which is an important asset for us.
“I am excited to have him with us moving forward and seeing how he continue to push his game on and help us grow collectively.”