IT'S good to be back - that is the reaction of 22-times capped Wales lock Mike Voyle (pictured) to the opportunity of resurrecting his Newport career.

He is back at Rodney Parade after a six-year absence which took him to Llanelli, Cardiff and finally a few months ago to New Zealand.

He had played a few games at club level in Wellington and was contemplating taking up a contract with Wellington, Bay of Plenty or Hawke's Bay when the call came from Newport.

It was a bit of an SOS, the enforced absence of Ian Gough leaving Newport short in the lock department, particularly in the middle of the line-out.

Voyle had little hesitation in answering Newport's call in the affirmative, albeit initially on a three-month short-term contract.

"I was surprised and excited to hear from Jim McCreedy (Newport team manager), but I felt very comfortable with it and I'm pleased to be coming back to help Newport out," said Voyle after a 26-hour flight from New Zealand.

"Newport have got problems with Goughie injured and it seemed a good arrangement for both parties. It's good to come back to Newport.

"I didn't really know which direction my career was going to take at the end of a long stint in Wales.

"It seemed a good time to head to New Zealand. I was keen to get back there with my wife Audra (a New Zealander) and our daughter Caitlin, who hadn't seen her grandparents for a while.

"After a break I'd played a bit of rugby in Wellington and got the urge back. Then the phone call came and now we'll have to wait and see what happens.

"But I'm looking forward to it, I'm relatively fit, I've played a bit in New Zealand and they're not bad.

"It's my intention to help Newport do the best they can." Voyle remembers playing against Joost van der Westhuizen for Newport against Northern Transvaal some time ago.

Now he will be part of the same team with the South African scrum half ace, hoping to deliver him some crucial possession.

"It's an incredible prospect," he said, "though there are a lot of good young half backs at Newport who will be able to pick Joost's brains."

It's only 18 months ago that Voyle was playing for Wales, and it's just two years ago that he helped them gain that historic first win against South Africa.

"On the one hand it seems a long time ago, on the other it seems like yesterday," he said. "But for now I'm just looking forward to playing club rugby in Wales again."

First published on Tuesday 21 August 2001: