Former Wales lock Andrew Coombs has voiced his “disgust” with the Newport Gwent Dragons after claiming they have ripped up his medical insurance policy.

The former Dragons captain was forced to retire from rugby last summer following his failure to overcome a serious knee injury.

Coombs – who won 10 caps in the second row for Wales – has taken to social media to accuse his former employers of ending his medical cover without his knowledge.

The effect, says Coombs, will be that he has to find thousands of pounds worth of treatment from his own pocket.

The Dragons have yet to respond to the claims, which Coombs says have left him “disgusted” and “devastated”.

“The policy was providing me with ongoing crucial medical treatment from the career-ending injury I sustained while playing for the region,” he wrote.

“I’m now left facing thousands of pounds of medical bills to receive essential care not available on the NHS in an attempt to improve my severely impaired knee.”

Coombs claims the Dragons cancelled the policy without offering him the chance to take over the payments – an option he says the region had told him would be available.

Coombs, who won a Six Nations title winners medal with Wales in 2013, underwent seven operations on the knee he injured playing for the Dragons against the Cardiff Blues in April of last year.

He has since started a coaching career with Nelson in Division One East whilst also running a construction company.