Taulupe Faletau: Delayed Cardiff return hits Wales star's slim Six Nations hopes
- Published
Taulupe Faletau has yet to play this season for Cardiff
Taulupe Faletau will not return to action before the Six Nations, ruling out any slim chance of being named in Warren Gatland's squad next week.
Cardiff's Faletau, 33, has not played since breaking his arm against Georgia during the World Cup.
He resumed training last month, sparking hopes of a late push for the Six Nations, but a calf issue has delayed his return until next month.
Gatland is due to name his Six Nations squad on Tuesday.
However, Faletau's injury and the loss of Jac Morgan will leave leave the head coach without two of his three first-choice back-row for the tournament, which kicks off for Wales against Scotland in Cardiff on 3 February.
Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt said: "Taulupe will not play before the Six Nations. There's not a solid time plan for him as he's had to be rescanned but I'd hope he is fit to face Connacht [17 February]."
Meanwhile, European rugby has come too soon for Ospreys pair Alex Cuthbert and Justin Tipuric who are also being lined up for a February return from injuries.
They are targeting the game against Ulster on 18 February for their comeback.
Alex Cuthbert has not played for Ospreys since last January and Justin Tipuric since November.
It will be more than a year since Cuthbert's last appearance for Ospreys, in a Champions Cup win at Leicester in January 2023, following a series of injuries.
Tipuric, 34, is also expected to return from a broken thumb against Dragons in November.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said: "After these two European games we will get some respite to lick our wounds and hopefully get a significant number of players back.
"We're hoping to have Alex Cuthbert, Toby Fricker, Dom Morris, Morgan Morris, Justin Tipuric and a couple more all come back.
"We're hopeful from that point of view that we can weather the storm, but the last four or five weeks have been very challenging. Through adversity we find out a lot.
"The one thing I know about this group is they will work exceptionally hard, they will play tough and give it their best. That's exciting."