Hewitt forgives teammate after suffering tour-ending injury

ELLIOT Dee has been forgiven by his Dragons team-mate Ashton Hewitt for the challenge that put the speedster our of Wales’ summer Tests with South Africa and Argentina, writes ANDY HOWELL.

Flying winger Hewitt dislocated his right shoulder in training with Wales during the summer after being charged into by hooker Dee, who went on to make a massive impact during the victories over the Springboks and Pumas.

“I had a choice of running into him or Rhodri Jones (a prop) and chose Ashton,” said Dee.

“I was gutted when he went down injured and apologised to him. I felt terrible about it.”

But Hewitt, who would have won his first Wales cap, exonerated his pal of blame, saying: “I didn’t get my tackle technique as good as it should have been and I ended up worse for wear.

“He was absolutely gutted. He rang me straight after and apologised. I had to calm him down and tell him there was nothing to apologise for.

“I’ve known him for years, he’s my teammate, so he was gutted for me. He really did care.”

It was the second time Hewitt has dislocated his right shoulder and he faces a delayed start to the season after having corrective surgery.

“I had a shoulder reconstruction two years ago. It’s the same shoulder but a different procedure, and hopefully it should be stronger than ever,” said the 23-year-old.

It was the second occasion Hewitt had been forced out of a Wales squad, having been ruled out of the 2017 Six Nations by concussion.

“It’s frustrating and disappointing but it’s the game that we play and I’m not the first person it has happened to,” he went on.

“I’m sure my luck will change and I hope to get that chance of international rugby again. It’s my biggest aim.

“You get in that environment and it just makes you so eager to get back into it again. I’ve had a taste and I’d love to get back involved.

“I’ve had a couple of lengthy injuries over the last few years but they