Bath's Matt Stevens has signed a new four-year contract with the Guinness Premiership side.
The 25-year-old Durban-born prop, who has been named on the bench for England's RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales at Twickenham tomorrow, is now tied at The Rec until the end of the 2011-12 season.
It is good news for the west country side, who recently lost Steve Borthwick to Saracens - Stevens was strongly linked with a move to Northampton.
Educated at Kearsney College, South Africa, Stevens joined Bath Rugby in September 2002 after representing the Junior Springboks at Under 18 and Under 19 level. His other early representative honours include Western Province and South African Universities.
Stevens, who can play at both tight-head and loose-head, is in the modern mould of a prop with his explosive qualities both in the set piece and around the park which he has used to good effect for both club and country.
The new deal with such a key player in the Bath Rugby pack as Stevens is further good news for the club following the announcements last week of the contract extensions of Joe Maddock, Matt Banahan, Pieter Dixon and Mike Baxter.
Bath Rugby Head Coach Steve Meehan said: "I am delighted that Matt is continuing at the club and he has seen fit to sign a new four-year deal with Bath Rugby.
"He is about to come into his prime as a player and we are looking forward to working with him and continuing to help him improve. He is one of the leading front row players in world rugby and his signing shows that we are continuing to move forward as a club."
Bath Rugby Chief Executive Bob Calleja said: "Matt embodies Bath Rugby's ambition to compete at the highest level by committing himself for four years to the club.
"Apart from on the field contributions, Matt has been invited by the club to be part of a leadership group to actively campaign for an enhanced arena on the Rec and improved training facilities. Progress on both fronts is essential and Matt's participation should help to influence the decision makers."