Wales hope Taulupe Faletau can make injury comeback against Italy

Wales are hoping number eight Taulupe Faletau will be fit for the Guinness Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome.

Faletau had been widely expected to make his return after almost 16 months out of Test rugby in Friday’s opening Six Nations appointment with France.

But Wales head coach Warren Gatland says the 104-cap forward feels he is “not quite ready” for selection and made that call himself this week.

“He made the call on Tuesday to say he is not quite ready for selection,” Gatland said.

“He is still part of the squad and he will still come with us. We are hoping he will be right for Italy (on February 8).”

Faletau has not played at Test level since Wales’ last win – a 2023 World Cup pool victory over Georgia – after breaking his arm in that game, then suffering a fractured shoulder when he returned for Cardiff six months later.

Gatland has selected a starting back row in Paris of Aaron Wainwright at number eight alongside James Botham and captain Jac Morgan.

Asked if 34-year-old British and Irish Lion Faletau will be available for the tournament remainder, Gatland added: “That’s the plan.

“He made the call and said, ‘I’ve got to put the team first’.

“His knee is a bit sore at the moment. He didn’t feel he would be 100 per cent for Friday, so he wanted some more time for Italy.”

Former England prop Henry Thomas will make his first Wales start on Friday. The ex-Sale and Bath tighthead has won four caps as a replacement since switching allegiance to Wales in 2023.

Thomas, whose father is from Swansea, was able to make the move under World Rugby regulations because his last England appearance had been more than three years earlier.

Gatland has also handed a full Test bow to 23-year-old Cardiff hooker Evan Lloyd, who steps up, with Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias both injured, against a juggernaut French pack.

Full-back Liam Williams and wing Josh Adams – with 151 caps between them – also feature, while Saracens centre Nick Tompkins is recalled, partnering Owen Watkin in midfield.

Cardiff’s Ben Thomas fills the fly-half role, uncapped Ospreys number 10 Dan Edwards is on the bench and Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins makes a first Wales appearance for almost 11 months after undergoing knee and shoulder operations.

There are only four survivors in the Wales starting line-up from the side beaten by South Africa last time out – Ben Thomas, Will Rowlands, Botham and Morgan.

Wales have been written off as a 20-1 chance against France, which reflects a record run of 12 successive Test defeats and the opposition’s strength, underlined by them beating New Zealand in November and teams like Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles dominating this season’s Investec Champions Cup.

Gatland added: “We’ve spoken about the fact that ironically there is probably more pressure and expectation on them (France).

“There is expectation from their fans. They expect their team to throw the ball around and score tries.

“From experience and my point of view, teams can try a bit too much early on and throw the ball around and that gives you opportunities.

“We haven’t spoken about the negativity. You try to create a little bit of your own siege mentality where you build that up in your own environment and you try and not take too much note of the stuff that’s going on outside.

“We want to go out there and play some good rugby. We want to go out there and do some things that potentially France aren’t going to expect us to do.

“We have talked about being really positive in terms of the way that we play against them, to see that there are opportunities to attack them as well.”