Ireland captain Best extends contract

March 21 (Reuters) - Ireland captain Rory Best extended his contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) on Tuesday in a deal that will see him stay on until the end of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

The 35-year-old hooker, who led Ireland to a grand slam victory in the Six Nations championship on Saturday, has played 111 times for his country, making him Ireland's third most-capped player.

Best took the captaincy in 2016 and led the team to their first ever victory over New Zealand as well as a first win over the Springboks on South African soil.

"I feel I can continue to make a contribution to both Ireland and Ulster Rugby and am delighted to have extended my IRFU contract to the next World Cup," Best said in a statement on the IRFU website.