London Welsh lock in more stars

London Welsh revealed that Hudson Tonga'uiha and Greg Bateman have both agreed new deals with the club.

Tonga'uiha, 29, has made a huge impact at Welsh since joining from Doncaster Knights in 2010 and played a significant role in the club's Championship-winning season.

The Tongan international centre scored 12 tries in 28 Championship appearances for Welsh last season and came into his own during the play-offs, including scoring tries in both legs of the Final against the Cornish Pirates.

He marked his Premiership debut with a try in London Welsh's defeat to Leicester Tigers on the opening weekend of the season. In all, Tonga'uiha has made 66 appearances for the club, scoring 20 tries.

Tonga'uiha has been capped 24 times by Tonga and represented his country at the 2007 World Cup.

Bateman, 23, joined Welsh in 2011 from Dorking and has proven a valuable member of Lyn Jones' squad, particularly through his versatility in the front row.

In all, the former Harlequins and England Under-18 front row forward has made 37 appearances for the club, scoring four tries.

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones, said: "I'm absolutely delighted that Hudson and Greg have committed themselves to London Welsh.

"Hudson has really stepped up to the mark this year and has thrived in the Premiership. Greg has grasped his opportunity with both hands and is evolving into a decent Premiership player with the potential to go further.

"These two re-signings signify the ambitions and long term objectives of London Welsh RFC."

Hudson Tonga'uiha, said: "I'm very happy to commit my future to London. I've enjoyed my time here and enjoy playing under Lyn Jones."

Greg Bateman, said: "I've improved a lot in my time here and I'm looking forward to what I can achieve in the future.

"Lyn's worked a lot with me on areas of my game where I can improve and I take that very seriously. I want to push to be involved in the first XV more and more."