The Dragons have officially announced the signing of ex-Scarlets centre Steff Hughes as short-term injury cover.
Hughes made 104 appearances spread over nine seasons with the Scarlets and skippered Wales U20 at the 2014 Junior World Championship.
The Dragons have injury issues in midfield with Aneurin Owen sidelined by a hamstring problem and Cory Allen on the comeback trail after three years out spell with knee trouble.
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Hughes will help ease the situation for Dai Flanagan’s side.
In a short statement, the Gwent club said: “Dragons RFC can confirm that experienced centre Steff Hughes has joined the club as short-term injury cover.
“The 28-year-old joins following nine years at the Scarlets, where he made over 100 appearances for the west Walians.
“Hughes will add to the midfield options available to the Men of Gwent in the coming weeks in the BKT United Rugby Championship.
“Welcome and good luck to Steff from us all at Dragons.”
New Dragons head coach Flanagan spoke of the club’s’ injury concerns at centre this week, saying the three players they used there against Munster last weekend — Sio Tomkinson, Jack Dixon and Max Clark — were their only fit midfield options.
Knowledgeable and respected for his rugby intelligence, Hughes worked with ex-Scarlets attack chief Flanagan at the Llanelli-based region and made an impression.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with him since he was 18 and if somebody like him is out there and we have the opportunity to tap into his intel and IQ then we have to bring him in as injury cover,” said Flanagan prior to the announcement.
“He has the ability to see space and hit space, to move the ball and his work rate matches Jack and Sio’s against Munster. When Max came on he showed he has a big future as well.
“If Steff was to play for us due to injury then he gives us the option to go like-for-like.
“To have Steff around the group in training doesn’t just help him. It helps the Dragons.”
The east Walians are bringing in a player who will help point them in the right direction. You can read more about how well he was thought of by many at the Scarlets here.
Not that long back, he was being touted for Wales, with ex-Scarlets team boss Brad Mooar describing him as ‘ son-in-law material ’ and saying he hadn’t seen a fault in him, while Llanelli coach Paul Fisher called the ex-Ysgol y Strade pupil a model professional and Ken Owens summed him up as someone who conducts himself in the right way, saying “He will speak up and then he’ll normally send me a message after to say: ‘Sorry if I cut across you or overstepped the mark.’
“That’s how respectful he is. But he never has to apologise for things like that. It’s just the type of guy he is.”
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