Taulupe Faletau
Wales
player portrait
Full name Tangaki Taulupe Faletau
Born November 12, 1990, Nuku'alofa
Current age 33 years 128 days
Major teams Bath Rugby, British and Irish Lions, British and Irish Lions XV, Dragons, Welsh Probables, Wales
Position Back-row
Height 6 ft 2 in
Weight 242 lb

Test career
Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All Tests 2011-2021 91 82 9 45 9 0 0 0 45 44 2 50.54
Wales 2011-2021 86 78 8 40 8 0 0 0 43 42 1 50.58
British and Irish Lions 2013-2021 5 4 1 5 1 0 0 0 2 2 1 50
Five/Six Nations 2012-2021 41 36 5 20 4 0 0 0 27 13 1 67.07
IRB Rugby World Cup 2011-2015 11 11 0 10 2 0 0 0 6 5 0 54.54

Career statistics
Test debut Wales v Barbarians at Millennium Stadium, Jun 4, 2011 match details
Last Test South Africa v British and Irish Lions at Cape Town, Jul 31, 2021 match details
Test Statsguru Main menu | Career summary | Match list | Most points | Most tries | Tournament list

English Premiership
Team Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All matches 2016-2021 52 48 4 30 6 0 0 0 26 24 2 51.92
Bath Rugby 2016-2021 52 48 4 30 6 0 0 0 26 24 2 51.92
Profile

Toby Faletau, who is the son of former Tongan international Kili, was at the Bristol Academy of Sport at Filton College when he was spotted by the Dragons set up. He was fast-tracked into the Dragons' under-20 squad and academy.

He made his debut for the senior side during the 2009/10 season and went on to make eight appearances for the first team. He continued to progress the following season and was called up to Wales' Six Nations squad only to be ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury.

But Faletau earned his first Wales cap against the Barbarians in their end of season game. And he pushed on from there to be included in the Welsh reckoning for the 2011 World Cup.

Once at the World Cup, Faletau was an ever-present in the Wales squad. He scored his first international try against South Africa in the opening match of the pool stage. Despite losing in agonising fashion, Faletau was earmarked as one of Wales' standout performers - a notion which continued for the rest of the tournament.

After crossing the line against Namibia for his second try in international colours, Faletau was named at No.8 against Ireland in the quarter-finals and kept his place for the match against France in the penultimate knockout stage. Wales fell at the semi-final hurdle but Faletau finished the tournament with an astonishing 75 tackles to his name and none missed.

Come the 2012 Six Nations, Faletau started all five of their matches at the back of the scrum and played a key part in their Grand Slam winning triumph. Faletau continued to be a mainstay of the Welsh side as they came through a barren run to ultimate retain their Six Nations title in 2013. A call up to the British & Irish Lions squad to tour Australia followed.

He was unlucky to miss out on selection to Jamie Heaslip for the opening two tests but played in the series-clinch final test as the Lions celebrated a series win in Sydney.

Latest Articles
Bath sign Wales star Taulupe Faletau ahead of next season (Dec 9, 2015) Bath in the market for new back-rower as Faletau move is 'dead in the water' (Nov 5, 2015) Gatland would not sanction Faletau's Bath move (Jul 30, 2015) Bath target Faletau 'happy' at Dragons (Mar 30, 2015) Faletau: Wales can win Six Nations (Feb 9, 2015) Taulupe Faletau news and articles (50) »
Latest Photos
Feb 6, 2015
Wales' Taulupe Faletau shrugs off Chris Robshaw
Wales' Taulupe Faletau shrugs off Chris Robshaw
©  Getty Images
Nov 22, 2014
New Zealand's Richie McCaw prepares for the hit from Taulupe Faletau
New Zealand's Richie McCaw prepares for the hit from Taulupe Faletau
©  Getty Images
Feb 21, 2014
Wales' Toby Faletau claims the lineout
Wales' Toby Faletau claims the lineout
©  Getty Images
Jul 6, 2013
The Lions' Toby Faletau strips the ball from the Wallabies
The Lions' Toby Faletau strips the ball from the Wallabies
©  Getty Images
Taulupe Faletau rugby photos (26) »

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