Wales' hopes of a successful Six Nations campaign have taken an early hit with the news that Taulupe Faletau, their key number eight, is ruled out for the first three games. The 35-year-old suffered a calf injury while playing for Cardiff against Ospreys on January 1.
The injury comes at a bad time for Faletau, who had recently returned from a knee injury which kept him out of Wales' autumn internationals. With the tournament set to kick off in late February, it seems unlikely that he will be back in contention by then.
Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl has been open about the team's injury situation, stating that they are aiming for Faletau to return around the middle of the Six Nations, with the visit from Leinster on 27 February potentially being his first game back. However, this is now looking increasingly unlikely given the current timeline.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy will name his squad in early January, but he is already missing several key players due to injury, including captain Jac Morgan and Gloucester centre Max Llewellyn. Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell, and Taine Plumtree were among the options considered for the autumn series, while Ross Moriarty may also return as an option at number eight.
For now, Faletau's injury casts a shadow over Wales' chances of a successful tournament. With the team facing stiff competition from England, France, and Scotland, it is unclear how they will adapt without their key midfielder.
The injury comes at a bad time for Faletau, who had recently returned from a knee injury which kept him out of Wales' autumn internationals. With the tournament set to kick off in late February, it seems unlikely that he will be back in contention by then.
Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl has been open about the team's injury situation, stating that they are aiming for Faletau to return around the middle of the Six Nations, with the visit from Leinster on 27 February potentially being his first game back. However, this is now looking increasingly unlikely given the current timeline.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy will name his squad in early January, but he is already missing several key players due to injury, including captain Jac Morgan and Gloucester centre Max Llewellyn. Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell, and Taine Plumtree were among the options considered for the autumn series, while Ross Moriarty may also return as an option at number eight.
For now, Faletau's injury casts a shadow over Wales' chances of a successful tournament. With the team facing stiff competition from England, France, and Scotland, it is unclear how they will adapt without their key midfielder.
Faletau was gonna be the X-factor in the midfield for them... now with him out, I'm not sure how they're gonna manage the tackles and turnovers. They need a strong number 8 to dictate the pace of the game, but it looks like that's gonna be a major issue. Can't say I blame Faletau though, 35 and still playing at this level is impressive... now if only he could get back on the pitch in time for the Leinster game 
I'm really bummed for Wales fans right now... Taulupe Faletau was like their best bet at number eight 
And to have him go down with a calf injury just when he's getting back from his knee issue is super frustrating 
The fact that they're having to rely on younger players like Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainwright to fill the gap is gonna be tough 
They need their experience and skills in midfield if they wanna take on England, France, and Scotland 
It's gonna be a real challenge for Wales without Faletau...
, this is bad news for Wales - they really need Taulupe Faletau on the field right now! 
With him out for the first three games, it's gonna be tough for them to get a good start in the Six Nations. 
Anyway, fingers crossed for Wales and I hope Faletau makes a speedy recovery! 
... Taulupe Faletau is OUT for 3 games? That's like, super bad timing! He just got back from a knee injury too, so he needs some time to get ready 
I think this is a huge blow for Wales, especially with the Six Nations just around the corner. They're already missing some big names like Morgan and Llewellyn, so losing Faletau on top of that is not what they needed. The team's depth is going to be tested, and it's hard to see them competing with England, France, and Scotland without their best player. 
. i think van zyl should've been more careful with their squad selection back in the autumn 
. hopefully ross moriarty can step up at number 8, but wales are gonna struggle without faletau 
. still got some faith in tandy tho, they'll get it together 
, his comeback story was inspiring! 
i feel bad for corniel van zyl, cardiff coach has to deal with all this injury drama 
that would be a huge boost for wales' chances in the six nations 
... but they're not even ripe yet! 
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The thought of Taulupe Faletau sitting out the first three games of the Six Nations is a tough pill to swallow for Welsh rugby fans. He's such an experienced player and always brings a lot of energy to the team. It's not ideal that he's already dealing with another injury, especially after coming back from his knee issue. The fact that Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl had high hopes for Faletau returning by mid-tournament now seems so unlikely... 
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. hopefully he'll be back in contention by mid-six nations or something, but it's looking less and less likely 
meanwhile, wales have other injured players like jac morgan and max llewellyn... what's going on? 
. He's like the engine of the team, you know? And comin' back from a knee injury just in time too 
. I mean, Steve Tandy and Corniel van Zyl are tryin' to be positive about it all 
. They're already missin' some key players with injuries... what if they don't get anyone back in time? 
The Six Nations is gonna be tough enough as it is 
is ruled out for 3 games and that's like, super bad timing 
He's always been such a vital part of the team and now with him out for three games it feels like there's a big hole that needs filling