Dragons’ Shane Lewis-Hughes Undergoes Finger Amputation Surgery

Shane Lewis-Hughes, a 27-year-old back row player for the Dragons, has undergone surgery to amputate the ring finger on his right hand. Lewis-Hughes, who joined the Dragons from Cardiff at the start of the 2024-25 season, first encountered problems with the digit in 2016 after his hand became trapped under a set of studs during a training session. Although he resumed training, his finger progressively worsened from the knuckle upwards over time. In 2020, he opted to have the finger fused while simultaneously undergoing a separate operation on his shoulder. Despite this, Lewis-Hughes continued to experience significant difficulties with his hand, leading to a plan for amputation at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. However, following a substantial increase in pain during the Dragons’ match against Connacht in October, and after consulting with team physios and coaches, the decision was made to proceed with the surgery earlier. Speaking to Dragons RFC TV, Lewis-Hughes detailed the challenges posed by his injury. “During a contact sport you have to grip stuff and you’re constantly catching and stubbing it on everything,” he stated. He further explained, “It got to a point where it was affecting daily things in life like opening a cupboard or smacking it.” Describing the severity of the discomfort, he added, “The pain is just unbearable, the only way I can describe it is like really bad toothache and someone is just constantly stabbing it, pins and needles shooting up my arm and it affects my sleep.” Lewis-Hughes also noted the impact on his athletic performance: “I couldn’t grip anything properly and anytime I went in for a ‘jackal’ the pain was horrific and it had a massive impact on my performance.” The amputation procedure necessitates several weeks of recovery and rehabilitation for the back row forward. Medical professionals indicated that retaining the finger carried the risk of further infection, which, if left unchecked and spread, could have potentially resulted in the loss of his hand or even his entire arm. Lewis-Hughes expressed optimism about the future following the surgery, stating, “It will actually have a massive impact on my life going forward, I won’t be in pain anymore and I’ll be able to do my job properly and not have to worry about catching it or stubbing it.” He emphasized the necessity of the operation for his career, adding, “It’s either have it off or I will not be able to play rugby any more.” Looking ahead, he concluded, “I’m hoping for three to four weeks return to play and then get back to playing my best rugby so I am really looking forward to that.”