Willis Halaholo: Wales centre signs Cardiff deal running until end of the season
- Published
Willis Halaholo has been a regular starter since returning to Cardiff this season
Cardiff have extended Willis Halaholo's short-term contract until the end of the season.
The 33-year-old has been hit in recent seasons by injury and was among a raft of players due to leave the Arms Park when their contracts ended last summer.
But after recovering from an Achilles injury, Halaholo re-signed in October and has appeared in nine of Cardiff's 11 games so far this season.
"It has been the toughest 12 months of my career," he said.
Budget cuts - which have been made across Welsh rugby's four regional teams - meant Halaholo was not offered a new contract before the season started.
But Halaholo, who first joined Cardiff in 2016, returned to the club in pre-season as he proved his fitness and form.
"A lot has happened, with the injuries and operations, but [also] everything else that has been going on [off the pitch]," he said.
"It's been mentally tough, not just with back-to-back injuries but doubts as to whether I could get back to playing, not knowing where I was going to be and how I would provide for my family.
"The club is massive to me. I'll have spent most of my career here, had three [of five daughters] born here in Wales and we're really happy.
"I've been enjoying my rugby after a whole year out and I'll probably enjoy it more now that I'm here to the end of the season, as there was always that anxiety of getting injured.
"My wife keeps telling me to look at the positive that the year out may have given my career another couple of years."