Newcastle Falcons centre Luke Eves returns to Bristol
- Published
Centre Eves played 39 games during his time with Newcastle
Luke Eves has left Newcastle to rejoin Bristol until the end of the season.
The 22-year-old former England U20s captain came through the academy at the Memorial Stadium and scored 10 tries in 59 first-team appearances.
The centre left to join the Falcons, external at the end of the 2009/10 season after Bristol lost out to Exeter in the Championship play-off final.
"There's definitely a sense of unfinished business," Eves told BBC Radio Bristol.
"That [the defeat by Exeter] really hurt me and I left that season.
Eves has 'unfinished business'
"I stayed with the club when they got relegated [2008/09] because I really believed we would get promoted the following season but it wasn't to be. It's time to right those wrongs."
Eves played 39 games for Newcastle during his two-year spell at the Premiership club but revealed on his Twitter page, external that he had played his last game for them on Saturday, in their 21-13 Challenge Cup defeat by Lyon., external
"It's really good news that Luke is returning to us," said Bristol head coach Liam Middleton.
"He's still a young player but he's had a couple of years experience in the Premiership.
"He suits our vision as a club, in being a Bristol boy, I want to bring him back to the club to build our future.
"Luke's matured as a player. He's been away from Bristol and has gone up north. He's had a hard time at the bottom of the Premiership with Newcastle and it's developed his character."
Middleton hails Eves development
Eves, whose father Derek skippered Bristol during his career as a player, added: "I didn't expect to end up back here just yet but I'm really enjoying being back with the lads.
"It's going to be tough for me to get into the team but I'm relishing that challenge as all it will do is push me on as a player.
"I just want to contribute where I can in these next couple of months. The 'p' word [promotion] is banned around here but I want to give everything to give Bristol that push and get them back into the Premiership."
Newcastle are currently bottom of the top-flight table while Bristol sit top of the Championship, seven points clear of second-placed Bedford with four games of the regular season remaining.