Brutal renewal Taulupe Faletau has been given, and Wales are outstanding to prove Tandy

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These are your rugby headlines for Thursday 2nd April.

Brutal Taulupe Faletau update has been released

Wales forward Taulupe Faletau has been ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining a “severe” shoulder injury during Cardiff’s defeat by the Sharks last weekend.

The 35-year-old, who made his debut on New Year’s Day in Durban, was forced off after 45 minutes after going down heavily, leaving the pitch using his jersey as a makeshift arm sling.

The brutal penalty has raised questions over whether Faletau will feature again for Cardiff this season – and head coach Corniel van Zyl has now confirmed he will not return before the end of the campaign.

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“We’re just waiting for the adviser to clarify his next steps, but obviously it looks like a big risk,” he said. “With the scan and this type of injury, I don’t see him playing again this season.”

It is the latest in a series of brutal blows for Faletau, who has appeared in just seven games this season due to knee and calf problems and has suffered other arm and shoulder injuries recently.

His future at Cardiff remains unclear, but van Zyl is confident of agreeing a deal to keep the Wales centurion at the Arms Park, believing that managing the former striker’s career is vital.

“It’s important and it was part of the strategy we had,” said the Cardiff boss. “But then unfortunately something different happened that set us back a step.”

Wales begin to prove a point

Owen Watkin says he is determined to show the Wales coaches what they are missing after being sidelined for the entire Six Nations campaign, without playing a single minute.

Wales head coach Steve Tandy has gone with a central partnership of Joe Hawkins and Eddie James for the majority of the Six Nations but Watkin has performed well for the Ospreys since returning from injury.

The experienced centre-back is looking to be relied upon to boost Wales’ command in the final stages of the domestic season.

“I didn’t play the way I wanted to in the Six Nations and it really lit a fire in my belly to prove a point,” Watkin said. “I want to play.

“Coming off the back of a long-term injury it was great to be back in the club and back in the mix. I was happy about that but it definitely lit a fire in my belly.

“I want to play and prove a point to the coaches. In the beginning it was good to give Eddie (James) the 13th slot. He hasn’t played there a lot but to be fair to him he has taken his opportunity well and throughout the campaign he has grown.

“It’s difficult now to change something that is going well and going forward. So, to a certain extent I can understand it,” he added.

“It’s going to be frustrating and I was disappointed but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I just have to play well for the next few weeks and put my hand up.”

Watkin will have the perfect opportunity to prove his worth this weekend when the Ospreys travel to Belfast to take on Ulster in the round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup. But the 29-year-old will have his hands full against Irish powerhouse Stuart McCloskey.

He said: “You’ve got McCloskey coming off the back of six fantastic nations. He was outstanding. “He’s a team player you can’t deny with his tackling.

“He’s a big man and if they pick James Hume at 13 he’s a team player too. We know it’s going to be a challenge for us but I think myself, Keiron and Evardi would relish the opportunity in front of us.

“They are a very good team at home. We know we have a tough challenge ahead of us but we are full of confidence. We are well prepared this week and we feel we can go on and get the result we wanted.

“Of course against this Ulster team we have to be physical, especially in the middle,” added Watkin. “They’re a team that likes to take possession and keep the ball alive, so we have to stop their pace defensively.

“I think that’s the main part. If we get some consistency up front and back defensively in terms of starting games and closing them out then I think we can go a long way to win this game.”

Evans: We are focused on the future

Wales and Saracens midfielder Georgia Evans says the team is fully focused on the future as the new season begins, with a wave of young talent bringing new energy to the camp ahead of the Women’s Six Nations.

There are nine new signings in Sean Lynn’s squad for the tournament, with 29-year-old Evans now one of the top players in the camp. Wales are determined to avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon in the Six Nations, but the second row insists the team are looking forward rather than dwelling on past disappointments.

Evans said: “Looking back, we know we haven’t met expectations before.

“But I think that for all of us now, we are starting to look at this new cycle, we are looking at the long-term picture, which is the World Cup that is coming, and that is where we are going to strive to raise the level.

“There are a lot of new people,” he added. “But it’s exciting because it’s new faces, new ideas, and it’s a new vibe, but it’s great.”

Evans also highlighted the impact of the young players coming up, as he said: “I think it’s crazy when girls are still at university and fresh out of college, and they’re doing A-levels like it was 10 years ago.

It’s amazing, they bring their new ideas, they’re so happy, they’re people with big smiles on their faces…

He also spoke of the sense of unity across Welsh rugby, with both the women’s and men’s sides “getting to know each other”.

“I think when the guys do well, it’s always amazing because it helps us, and when we do well it helps them,” Evans added. “We all look out for each other.

“Wales itself is a big rugby-mad country, so it’s about supporting each other and getting the best out of each other that way.

“When we see them going forward, not enjoying what they’re doing, we’re getting better every game, and I think it gives us a lot of confidence because you can see that it can be done,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​specially with a lot of new faces.

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