Wales: Taulupe Faletau called up to squad ahead of Six Nations game with England

Wales have handed a recall to experienced number eight Taulupe Faletau, who has been added to their squad ahead of the Six Nations clash with England.

Faletau, who has earned 86 caps for the national team, replaces Exeter Chiefs lock Christ Tshiunza after the youngster suffered a hamstring injury.

His return will provide a huge boost to the squad with them already without a number of key players due to injury.

Head coach Wayne Pivac is currently shorn of the likes of Faletau’s fellow British and Irish Lions George North, Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens and Justin Tipuric.

Faletau returned in Bath’s loss to Wasps on February 12 and then played another club match against Leicester Tigers at the weekend.

Needed a couple of games

“I feel I needed a couple of games, and I’ve had that,” the back-row said.

“It was a rolling two weeks for a long time, then I would get to the end of that two weeks, I would run again and it would ping again. It was basically that for the whole time.

“I am just enjoying getting out there, whether it’s Bath or Wales. Whatever it is, I just want to enjoy the games because seven months out wasn’t fun.”

Bath head coach Neal Hatley added: “He is like a chameleon. You put him in a level up and he just blends in.

“He has that innate ability that, whatever the quality of the players he is playing with, he is the best player on the pitch and he has done that for ages.”

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