Taulupe Faletau suffers injury setback on Cardiff comeback

Wales number eight Taulupe Faletau suffered another setback in his return to rugby after a six-month injury lay-off. Faletau, who broke his arm during Wales’ World Cup victory against Georgia in October 2023, missed the Six Nations due to a calf injury. He made his comeback for Cardiff in a match against Ulster in the United Rugby Championship but was forced off in the 30th minute clutching the same arm he had previously injured.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt expressed concern over Faletau’s latest injury, hoping it is not a recurrence of the previous one. Sherratt stated, “Fingers crossed, it’s not too bad because he’s put a huge amount of effort in over the last six or seven months to come back.” Faletau’s injury adds to Cardiff’s woes, as Wales full-back Cameron Winnett was also forced off early in the same game.

In addition to Faletau’s injury, Cardiff was left frustrated by refereeing decisions in the match against Ulster. The team felt aggrieved by a missed knock-on in the build-up to Ulster’s try and a controversial penalty decision that ultimately cost them the game. Despite the defeat, Sherratt remained optimistic, stating, “We deserved more from the game… We need to be able to put more pressure on the opposition and score more points.”

The loss marked Cardiff’s 10th defeat in 14 league games this season, with the team often finishing within seven points of their opponents. Sherratt emphasized the need for improvement and a more proactive approach in future matches to avoid relying on referee decisions or last-minute penalties. The team will now regroup and analyze their performance to bounce back stronger in the upcoming fixtures.