Sam Davies' Career Impacted by Severe Nose Injury and Infection
In 2013, Sam Davies was named the best young rugby player in the world for that year.
The life of the international rugby player changed dramatically after he sustained a nose injury during a match for Grenoble in January.
Initially, he expected only minor bleeding and bruising, but he lost 7kg in weight and became bedridden.
Weeks later, doctors diagnosed him with a staph infection, caused by a type of bacteria called Staphylococcus, which lives in the noses of one in three people and can enter the body through wounds.
By now, the infection had spread to his bones. Although he has received treatment to combat the infection, it remains unclear when he will be able to return to play.
Davies had hoped to lead Grenoble to promotion, but he will miss the rest of the season due to his illness.
"It has been a very difficult period mentally and physically," said Sam.
"I couldn't even do the simplest tasks, so it felt like my wife had two babies."
He was unable to cook for himself, wash, or do anything other than lie in bed.
Three months later, he is able to walk again but cannot perform activities requiring much energy and is uncertain when he will return to the rugby field.
Career Highlights and Background
One of Sam Davies' career highlights in a Wales shirt was scoring the winning points against Japan in 2016.
Davies began his career with the Scarlets before moving on to play for the Dragons and earning eight caps for Wales.
In 2023, Davies and his wife Elianna embarked on a new adventure in France as he sought to help Grenoble achieve promotion to France's top league, the Top 14.
At the time of the injury, their young daughter was only a month old.
"I got hit quite badly about 50 minutes into the game," he said.
"The nose wasn't broken, but the inside was a mess… it kept bleeding.
"I thought it would be fine as it didn't feel like more than a blow."
Continuing to Play Despite Injury
Despite heavy bleeding and a deviated septum, Davies continued to play rugby.
Playing as a fly-half, he had just returned from a four-month layoff due to a shoulder injury and did not want to leave the field.
The game ended, but it was only a few days later that he began feeling unwell.
Elianna said Sam started experiencing pain in his hips a few days after the match and was struggling to move.
Initially, they thought it was due to playing, as his role involved a lot of kicking from the hand and at the posts.
"Sam woke me up around 4:00 am in full panic because he couldn't move his legs, and he asked me to call an ambulance," Elianna said.
Due to her limited French, Elianna had difficulty conveying the severity of Sam's condition to staff over the phone.
As a result, she had to carry Davies, who weighed 13 stone 2 pounds (84kg), to their car before traveling to the hospital with their one-month-old daughter.
Davies' limited French also made it difficult to communicate the extent of his pain, and he spent eight days in hospital undergoing tests.
Although tests suggested the presence of Staphylococcus bacteria in his body, he was initially sent home with pain medication.
Two weeks later, the infection was confirmed and by then it had spread to his bones.
Davies believes earlier diagnosis and treatment might have prevented the condition from becoming so severe.
What is a Staph Infection?
According to NHS Wales, a staph infection is caused by a bacterial infection from Staphylococcus.
Staph bacteria are common. About one in three people carry the bacteria on their skin, usually inside their nose and on the surface of their armpits and groin.
However, the bacteria can cause problems if they enter the body through a skin wound.
Symptoms of a staph infection can include:
- Swollen or painful red eyes
In most cases, it can be treated with antibiotics.
However, if untreated, it can become much more serious if the bacteria spread to organs, the bloodstream, or bones.
Recovery and Future Prospects
Davies will need to increase his weight and work on his fitness before returning to the rugby field.
He will not play rugby for the rest of the season, although the condition is not considered career-ending at this stage.
After losing 7kg and most of his fitness, it is unclear when he will be able to return to the sport.
As he nears the end of his treatment, he hopes to raise awareness of the condition and its effects.
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