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Faletau has suffered another injury setback(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
These are your evening rugby headlines on Thursday, January 8
Faletau becomes Six Nations doubt
Wales veteran Taulupe Faletau is set to miss the start of the Six Nations after suffering a new injury setback.
The Cardiff back rower is set to be sidelined for a few weeks after picking up a calf issue, which is set to rule him out of at least the start of the upcoming tournament. It comes after the 35-year-old missed the entirety of Wales’ autumn campaign with a knee injury, which saw him replaced in the squad by Leicester Tigers’ Olly Cracknell.
Faletau, who has won 109 international caps, has struggled with injury in recent seasons, suffering repeated setbacks that have limited his game time for club and country.
After missing almost the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign with a broken arm suffered at the Rugby World Cup, he suffered a shoulder injury less than half an hour into his comeback game. While he featured four times in Wales’ last Six Nations campaign, he was limited to just eight appearances for Cardiff last season and suffered a calf injury in training on his return from Wales’ summer trip to Japan.
He limped off just four minutes into his second appearance of this season against Edinburgh in October and while he returned to feature three times over the festive period, he has now been sidelined yet again.
Issuing an update on Faletau, Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl confirmed that the Wales legend had suffered a “similar” calf injury to the one he picked up in pre-season. While he said that the back rower could miss the start of the Six Nations, however, he believes he could be back in contention for selection before the tournament is over.
“It was pleasing [to have him back],” said van Zyl. “Then unfortunately, that second knock he got in the Ospreys game… I’m not sure exactly how long, but he’ll stay out for a bit. It’s his calf, he will probably be out for a few weeks.
Asked if the injury would rule him out of the entire Six Nations, he added: “No, he might miss the start of it, being fit, but I’m pretty confident that during the Six Nations, he’ll be available for selection.
“He’s a quality player, quality human. Very skilfull, very athletic. He’s done so much for Welsh rugby. He had a bit of a problem in pre-season with his calf, then he came back, played four minutes and got a knock on his knee.
“He then came back from that, came straight in and played well and then unfortunately, suffered another small setback again.”
It is the latest injury blow for head coach Steve Tandy to contend with ahead of his first Six Nations as Wales boss, with captain Jac Morgan set to miss the opening rounds of the tournament after dislocating his shoulder against Argentina in the autumn.
Centre Max Llewellyn has also been ruled until the “latter part” of this season, while prop Gareth Thomas is struggling for fitness and isn’t expected back until the end of January. Exeter Chiefs lock Christ Tshiunza, meanwhile, has suffered another setback in his recovery from a broken foot, which ruled him out of the autumn internationals.
Williams injury update issued
Gloucester head coach George Skivington has issued an update on Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams, after he was left out of his latest matchday squad due to a leg injury against Saracens at the end of last month.
The Cherry and Whites captain was withdrawn shortly before kick-off ahead of his side’s defeat away to Newcastle Falcons last weekend after failing a late fitness test on the injury, with Mikey Austin replacing him in the side in his first ever PREM start.
With his injury-hit side preparing to face Edinburgh on Friday night, Skivington has again called on Austin to take the No.9 jersey, with Williams left out of the matchday 23.
Providing an update on the British & Irish Lions tourist, the Gloucester boss said: “He’s just got a bit of a bang on the leg, so we’re managing him at the moment this week as well.
“Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious, but yeah, it’s definitely not ideal in our current situation to lose Tommy.
“He did it in a very random way, making a tackle, he just got clipped. But he’s tough, Tommy. He’s doing his best. He pushed it right to the wire against Newcastle, but he just wasn’t right for it.”
‘Fearless’ refereeing icon dies
Former international referee Fred Howard has died at the age of 79.
During his time as a referee, Howard earned himself the nickname ‘Fearless Fred’ due to his unwillingness to shy away from the big calls on the field, as he sent off four players in the 20 Test matches he oversaw in his career.
It came during an era when red cards were a rarity, with David Codey being given his marching orders by the Englishman at the 1987 Rugby World Cup for stamping, becoming the first Australian player to ever be sent off in Test rugby.
One of the most iconic referees of his era, Howard was also at the centre of one of the most shocking moments of violence in Welsh rugby history. In 1990, he sent off Wales’ Kevin Moseley for stamping on French wing Marc Andrieu at a ruck during their autumn clash, with the incident seeing the lock banned from the game for 32 weeks.
Referee Fred Howard sends off Kevin Moseley of Wales during the 1990 Five Nations Championship
A geography teacher and sports goods retailer by profession, Howard’s rugby playing career was ended at 23 by a serious knee injury, which saw him move into refereeing.
He dedicated his life to the sport, and continued to serve as a mentor to young referees in the North West of England in his 80th year, before he sadly passed away on Monday.
The Liverpool Rugby Referees’ Society have led tributes to Howard, who said his influence on the game “extended far beyond his many high-profile appointments early in his career.”
In a statement, they said: “Nationally and internationally, Fred was sometimes known as “Fearless Fred”, a referee who backed his judgment, enforced discipline without hesitation and never shrank from making the unpopular call if he believed it was the right one.
“It was a reputation earned over many years at the highest level of the game, and one that stayed with him long after his final whistle, when he went into coaching refs and working with the RFU to make the laws of the game accessible and common sense.
“In the North West, however, Fred was far more than a famous name. He was a familiar figure within referee societies, particularly Liverpool, and across the wider society network. From mid 2010s onwards, he became actively involved again in mentoring and supporting referees, generously sharing experience gained at the very top of the game and whilst rising through the ranks.
“He worked with officials at every stage and level…from those just starting out to those aspiring to progress, and he treated them all with the same honesty and expectation – never scared to say it as it was but always with the best intentions and a little humour.
“Fred had strong views on standards, discipline and Law application, and he was not known for softening those views,” the statement continued. “Advice from Fred was direct, memorable and usually delivered with a look that suggested you should already know the answer. Many referees across the region will recognise lessons that stayed with them much longer than the post-match conversation itself. This will be his legacy.
“Liverpool Referees pay tribute to Fred Howard not only for what he achieved, but for what he gave back. His legacy lives on in the referees he challenged, encouraged and influenced and importantly in the standards he expected us all to uphold. Fred will be remembered with respect, appreciation, and more than a few stories that begin with, ‘Remember when Fred…'”
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