Former Felsted schoolboy Rory Hutchinson has signed a contract extension at Northampton Saints.

The Cambridge-born centre has been in scintillating form this season, winning the Gallagher Premiership Rugby player of the month for February.

The 23-year-old, who has made 28 appearances since his debut against Leicester Tigers in 2015, said: “This was a really straightforward decision for me to make.

“I’m enjoying my rugby at the moment. I’ve loved playing in recent weeks and I’m certain Franklin’s Gardens is the best place for me to develop even further.

“I’ve worked hard to get to this point and I’m learning all the time here from the coaches and a group of really gifted players around me.

“Sam [Vesty] and Chris [Boyd] in particular have really helped me to move my game forwards; they’ve opened my mind up to what’s possible for me on the pitch, and I’m really confident this squad can achieve a lot over the next few years.”

Saints’ director of rugby Chris Boyd said: “He’s a very gifted footballer and works extremely hard to improve all aspects of his game.

“He was unlucky with injury at the start of this season, but after coming back he’s made a big impact and seeing how he has progressed in recent weeks is really pleasing for us.”