Launchbury signs new contract at Wasps

Wasps captain and England lock Joe Launchbury has signed a new contract with the club.

The 26-year-old succeeded Matt Mullan and James Haskell as Wasps’ skipper last season and ended his first campaign at the helm by leading the team out at Twickenham, then going within a few seconds of lifting the Premiership trophy.

“Joe has been with us for a long time and has stuck through the tougher times here," said Wasps’ director of rugby, Dai Young.

"He has also experienced more recent times when we’ve been much more competitive and hopefully he can be around when we go the next step and achieve some silverware, which he deserves..."

The second row joined Wasps Academy in the 2009 season, made his Premiership debut against Leicester Tigers two years later and has since gone on to make 117 appearances in black and gold.

During that time, he has played a pivotal role in the club’s steady progress up the Premiership table, climbing from 11^th to reach the play-offs in 2016 and the Final in 2017.