Ex-Scarlets captain Steff Hughes has been training with the Dragons.
The 28-year-old was released from the Scarlets at the end of last season.
He has since been linked with potential moves to France but his focus has shifted closer to home of late and he is now believed to be on the Dragons’ radar.
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Sources say Hughes has been training with the Rodney Parade club over the past fortnight with there being a decent chance he will join them. Hughes would add leadership and experience to the Dragons’ backline.
A centre who has a kicking game and can distribute accurately, Hughes played 104 games for the Scarlets over nine years. He also led Wales U20 in the Junior World Championship in 2014.
Born in Llanelli, he was hailed for his contribution out west by then Scarlets coach Brad Mooar in 2020 with the New Zealander touting him as a player who could step up to the Wales set-up if required and describing him as the glue in the region’s backline. You can read here about the coach who considered Hughes 'son-in-law material' and good enough to play for Wales.
Mooar also praised Hughes’ personal qualities, calling him “an outstanding man”, while Llanelli RFC coach Paul Fisher called him "a model professional and a fantastic role model, with an old head on young shoulders".
The Dragons have Sio Tomkinson, Aneurin Owen, Jack Dixon, Cory Allen and Max Clark as midfield options but are still settling on a combination. While Hughes isn’t the biggest centre, he is a player who isn’t afraid to take responsibility and point the way, qualities which might suit the east Walians.
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