GARETH LEWIS may be entering the later stages of an illustrious rugby union career, but his enthusiasm burns just as brightly as it did when he first joined Huddersfield as a 15-year-old.

The hard-working flanker admits to enjoying his rugby this season – his third year back at the Lockwood Park club – “as much as I’ve ever done”.

The 31-year-old started playing at neighbouring YMCA before going to Huddersfield, when based at Waterloo, and made his first-team debut at 18.

But he was clearly destined for better things, and within two years he had been snapped up by Leeds Tykes Academy, as they were known before becoming Leeds Carnegie.

“While at Leeds I was lucky enough to be coached by Stuart Lancaster (now England’s interim national team coach) and it’s interesting to see how far he’s come since then,” reflected Lewis.

“We played some high-level competitive games again all the top Premiership clubs’ Academy sides up and down the country, and training with the first-team squad is where I first came across Dan Hyde, who was then in Leeds Tykes’ first team.”

After two years at Leeds, Lewis was released by the Premiership club and he joined Halifax, which coincided with the time the club started their rise up the League structure.

He was re-acquainted with the Ovenden club’s coach Kevin McCallion, who he knew from his time at Laund Hill.

“I was at Halifax for six or seven seasons, during which it was a really successful time for the club, winning three or four promotions as far as National I (Level 3), as well as a National Cup triumph and two County Cups,” said Lewis.

“Sadly it was only short-term success, and with no back-up, reserves or a junior set-up, it was only a matter of time before that success quickly dwindled away.

“From there I spent a year at Manchester, and it was a fantastic experience to play in the Championship, and test yourself against some of the best players outside the Premiership, but I always intended coming back to my hometown club.

“After speaking to the then coach Mark Sowerby, I returned to Huddersfield for the 2009-10 season.

“The first season back I couldn’t get a proper run of games and the team struggled that year, and the quality of training sessions was not what some of us were used to.

“But now under Dan and Ian Shuttleworth, we’ve come a million miles from where we were then.

“We have some terrific young lads in the side, and they are so enthusiastic it’s rubbed off on everyone else, and I’m enjoying my rugby as much this season as I’ve ever done.

“I firmly believe the club can go even further. While I was at Halifax we finished second in National II, losing only twice all season to reach the play-offs, where we lost in a one-off game against Launceston.

“But the following season we won all our games to win the League (the same one that Huddersfield are in now) and went up.

“And having played in National I, and having gone over to Fylde earlier on this season to see one of their games, I don’t think there is anything to fear in that League, were we to go up.

“At Halifax, we certainly didn’t have the young talent that we now have here at Huddersfield, and I’m sure we could certainly be competitive.

“Despite our recent two defeats, second is very much on for us, particularly if we can return to the sort of aggressive defence we were producing up until that defeat against Bromsgrove.”

Although he may have spent several years playing elsewhere, Lewis is still decidedly home-grown talent and it’s clearly obvious from both the way he plays and the enthusiasm in his voice when he speaks about the club, that he is delighted to have returned ‘home.’

He still lives in Holmfirth with his wife Verity and son Harry, who he says are his biggest supporters.

“Harry will be three in May, and already the signs are there that he wants to get involved in the club as soon as he can.

“It was interesting to look round after last week’s game against Loughborough, when me and Harry along with Gav Rhodes and his son, were doing the cool-downs together on the pitch with the Students.

“There is such a great atmosphere now down at Lockwood Park, and I can’t speak highly enough of how well the club is run. I’m just so happy to be back and hopefully help the club progress even further.”