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Taulupe Faletau of Wales(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\nThe latest headlines from Wales and around the worldTaulupe Faletau of Wales(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
These are your rugby headlines on Saturday, April 26.<\/p>\n
Farrell ‘definitely thinking about’ Faletau for Lions<\/p>\n
Former Wales international Alex Cuthbert says Andy Farrell “is definitely thinking about” selecting Taulupe Faletau for this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.<\/p>\n
The legendary No.8 has had a torrid time with injury in recent years – making just 10 appearances for club and country since the 2023 Rugby World Cup<\/a> – but has looked back to his best of late, following up a lively Judgement Day showing with another impressive performance against Munster on Friday night.<\/p>\n Faletau has already featured on three Lions tours, but his former teammates Cuthbert and Alun Wyn Jones see no reason why he can’t make a fourth at the age of 34. 25% OFF DEAL NOW: Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n “He’s had pretty severe injury [problems] over the years,” said Cuthbert ahead of the Munster clash. “Andy Farrell has spoken to the physio staff about his durability.<\/p>\n “But I think we’re seeing prime Toby back, just little things, getting a bit wide on the scrum, easier exit, these little tip passes, he’s so good at that, isn’t he? He’s been doing this for 10, 12 years and he’s just solid in every sort of foundation of the game.<\/p>\n “He is someone that Andy Farrell is definitely thinking about on the Lions tour,” the BBC<\/a> pundit added. “Fourth Lions tour, someone you can rely on constantly. When he is fit and firing, he is one of the best No.8 still.<\/p>\n “Look at the other No.8s as well, there’s Caelan Doris obviously, but there’s not too many other No.8s really putting their hand up.”<\/p>\n Echoing Cuthbert’s words, Jones said: “I think last week we saw prime Toby, we saw him beat the first man, we saw tips. He’s definitely going to be in the conversation. Three tours, could he go on another one? I think so, so he’s definitely in that conversation.”<\/p>\n Seven Scotland stars in Lions fitness race<\/p>\n By Anthony Brown, PA<\/p>\n Zander Fagerson is among a string of senior Scotland internationals in a battle to prove their fitness ahead of the British and Irish Lions squad announcement.<\/p>\n There had been a general expectation that this year\u2019s tour of Australia would include the largest contingent of Scots ever selected for Lions duty. While that may still prove to be the case, seven established Scotland starters with genuine aspirations of being named in Andy Farrell\u2019s squad in a fortnight, on May 8, have been denied a clear run of games to prove their form and fitness.<\/p>\n Glasgow players Zander Fagerson, Matt Fagerson, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Jack Dempsey and Scott Cummings, as well as Edinburgh wing Duhan van der Merwe are all currently at various stages of significant injury lay-offs.<\/p>\n Zander Fagerson\u2019s situation is perhaps the most concerning given that he would be considered a certainty for Lions inclusion but appears to be out until at least June with a calf injury suffered in the lead-up to last week\u2019s URC match against Zebre.<\/p>\n Glasgow head coach Franco Smith, providing an update on the prop\u2019s fitness, told the PA news agency: \u201cWe\u2019re going to aim to get him ready to play rugby again, hopefully before the finals (of the URC play-offs), so if we\u2019re there, it will be good to be able to lean on him. But, you know, it is a 10-12 week injury, so we\u2019ll just have to hold our thumbs and see how well he progresses.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if he felt the injury would impact Fagerson\u2019s Lions involvement, Smith said: \u201cI wouldn\u2019t know that, but I would not think that this injury would prevent him from being available.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith is confident Scotland captain Tuipulotu and fellow centre Jones \u2013 both potential Test starters for the Lions \u2013 will return for Glasgow\u2019s URC match away to Benetton on May 10, two days after Farrell\u2019s squad is announced. Tuipulotu has been sidelined for more than three months with a pectoral injury that kept him out of the entire Six Nations<\/a>, while Jones has been absent with an ankle injury since his last outing for Scotland away to France on March 15.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe in a couple of weeks, I hope that Sione will be ready to play against Benetton, the same with Huw,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n Fagerson\u2019s brother Matt, who would have been considered a borderline contender for a back-row berth in the Lions squad, is almost certain to miss out after undergoing ankle surgery last week.<\/p>\n Second-rower Cummings \u2013 who has been out since suffering a forearm fracture against Harlequins on January 18 \u2013 has been given a glimmer of hope of forcing his way into the mix after being named on the Glasgow bench for Friday\u2019s match against Bulls, although the fact he was unable to stake his claim during the Six Nations may count against him in the final reckoning.<\/p>\n Similarly, number eight Dempsey could have done with a good run of games for club and country to bolster his Lions claims, but he has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury against Wales in the Six Nations on March 8.<\/p>\n \u201cJack ran yesterday and we\u2019re going to now progress that and see how he develops, but he\u2019s definitely on track to be seen again this season,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n