St Helens prop Noah Stephens has undergone a brutal five-hour surgery on his nervous system which could potentially save his professional rugby league career.

Stephens has not played since May, after leaving the field with a shoulder injury against Castleford Tigers which required immediate hospital treatment and has ultimately proven to be incredibly complicated.

It was already clear that Stephens faced a lengthy road to recovery – a message which has now been reinforced after the Saints revealed the extent of the procedure he underwent this week.

Noah Stephens undergoes nerve surgery

Stephens has been left with limited use of his left arm since the incident, categorically ruling out a return to play at any point in the near future, with his priority being restoring a normal quality of life.

And it was recommended by specialists recently that surgery would be the best option to make that a reality, with Stephens going under the knife for five hours.

In that process, nerves were transfer from his triceps to the C5 and C6 nerves, which work the deltoid muscle and the bicep. The goal is to help restore nerve function to those areas of Stephens’ body and allow him to be able to control his left arm with the same degree of strength as his right.

And his lengthy road to recovery can now officially begin, after the surgery was a success and Stephens’ situation was made public by the Saints – who have offered their full and unconditional support to the player for however long he needs.

St Helens support Stephens recovery

The club said: “Noah’s surgery marks an important milestone, following months of uncertainty and preparation, as he begins the next stage of his recovery.