News about Taulupe Faletau

Wales and head coach Warren Gatland have been used in years past to prepare for the Championship title and a Grand Slam in the final weekend of the Six Nations. This time around, the strain and apprehension surrounding Gatland and his players ahead of 'Super Saturday' is high, but for a different reason. If Wales defeat Italy in Cardiff on Saturday, they will win the 2024 Championship and finish last in the table for the first time since 2003.

It's not just the country's rugby fans who will be cheering for the players, but families and families will be aided by their loved ones, from family members to partners. FEMAIL takes a look at the glamorous wives and girlfriends who are cheering the athletes on.

After the wing was released by Gloucester with immediate effect to request a player in the NFL, they would be without Zammit, and Gatland was caught off guard. "I learned it about an hour ago," he said. About half an hour ago, I think I spoke to Louis. It's a little surprise. Gloucester had contacted us and I talked with George Skivington (club's director of rugby) about 12. ' In the last 24 hours, stuff has happened very quickly.'

Keep an eye on Mail Sport's live stream as Wales faces Argentina in the first of the four Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, with Jac Morgan replacing captain Warren Gatland on the side. Both sides are hoping to secure a spot in the final four of the tournament, with Wales aiming to sustain their unblemished campaign so far, but they will be without star man Taulupe Faletau for the match. Argentina, on the other hand, has only lost one match during this campaign to England, and the Rugby World Cup will be hosted in the semi-finals for the third time in history.

ALEX BYWATER: Wales has given Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe, and Dan Biggar a good fitness report, claiming that the back-line trio will all be fit for their World Cup quarter-finals. On Saturday afternoon, Warren Gatland's side faces Argentina in the first of the four knock-out matches, but the team is sweating over the fitness of key players. Since being barred from the rest of the tournament due to a broken arm sustained in the victory over Georgia, No 8 Taulupe Faletau has already flown home.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: For the first time in World Cup history, northern hemisphere teams dominated all the pools, bringing up four exciting quarter-finals. Ireland's draw in South Africa shows how absurd the draw is. Both these games will be deciding finals. Two big teams are likely to be disqualified, and there is a chance that the semi-finals will be made entirely of Six Nations teams. Here's my guide to the start of the knockout stages:

When Warren Gatland announced that No 8 Taulupe Faletau would have a broken arm, the game will be marred for the remainder of this World Cup. In a 39-27 victory over Japan, Argentina's turn came just less than 24 hours later, losing a crucial back-row for the quarter-finals. Pablo Matera sustained a serious hamstring injury in the first 24 hours. For those of a Welsh and Pumas persuasion this weekend, there have been good news and bad to digest. It means that when the two countries meet in Marseille on Saturday to kick-off the knock-out rounds, the champion is expected to come from the team that does best with enforced absences. Matera isn't completely out of the Wales game, but it seems that unlike Faletau, he will not appear again in France. Even without Faletau, Wales should still be optimistic of qualifying for the semi-finals. Gatland's head coach Gatland decided to replace the veteran forward with scrum-half Kieran Hardy on Sunday.

After his hat-trick put Wales through to a quarter-final with Argentina, Louis Rees-Zammit set his sights on finishing the World Cup as the nation's top try scorer. Rees-Zammit's treble in the 43-19 victory over Georgia means he now has five attempts at the tournament in France, one behind Les Bleus wing Damian Penaud, who now leads the charts on six ties, but getting the results is all that matters.' Rees-Zammit wrote: I'd love to be the best try scorer.' The team is aided by 'Hat-tricks.' That's all I ask for.' Wales defeated the United Kingdom in their fourth straight World Cup victory, winning by 19 points from a potential 20. However, the Georgia triumph came at a high price. No 8 Taulupe Faletau, one of Gatland's team's first names, suffered a fractured arm, which has barred him from participation in the knock-out stages. Since pulling his groin in the warm-up, the fly-half was forced to miss the Georgia game. Even though Faletau's last night (SUN) called up scrum-half Kieran Hardy to replace Faletau, Gatland is content with his back-row choices even though Faletau will now fly home.

In Nantes, England head coach Warren Gatland's No 8 suffered a tournament-ending arm break, but Michael Cheika's Pumas also saw one of their stars fall lame at the same venue. Matera limped off in the first half at Stade de la Beaujoire and Argentina's head coach Cheika said he didn't expect the arduous back-row to recover quickly.

AT STADE DE LA BEAUJOIRE, ALEX BYWATER: Rees-Zammit, 22, a 22-year-old Gloucester back, declared it his aspirations to be the best rugby player on the planet before this tournament. On the big stage - and the training pitch - he is proving his worth. Wales defeated Georgia 43-19 in Nantes thanks to Rees-Zammit's second-trick. He is now just one behind France's Damian Penaud, who is currently the world Cup's top try-scorer on six. Rees-Zammit's frenzied pace could smear opposition defenses to pieces. He appeared in all four Wales' Pool C games, scoring against Fiji and Portugal before his Georgia treble.

BYWATER AT STADE DE LA BEAUJOIRE ALEX BYWATER: As Wales defeated Georgia 43-19 at the Rugby World Cup, Louis Rees-Zammitt scored three goals. Warren Gatland's side has now confirmed that they will finish in first place in Pool C.

Warren Gatland has never been one to worry about after his mind was made up and he sped away on Monday, naming his Wales team to face Georgia three days early. Just as his players were about to begin training in front of hundreds of French supporters in Versailles, head coach Gatland called off his media manager for a short period of time. Wales assembled their squad for their final Pool C clash official minutes later – the press release dropped as the XV, who had been selected to run out in Nantes on Saturday, began going through their drills.

BYWATER IN LYON: Tuesday, February 21. The Wales squad was spelled out by a crunch meeting at their Vale Resort training base earlier this year. Warren Gatland's players were told in no uncertain terms that if they did not play their Six Nations match with England, they would not only cost the Welsh Rugby Union close to £10 million and bankrupt the governing body, but also rob rookie back Mason Grady of a potential Test debut. There was muzzling and indignation in the air. The emotions were high. Wales' players were split on whether or not they should strike or not, but there was widespread outrage at the sexy and financial turmoil plaguing their country's rugby scene. Things needed to change, according to an acknowledgement.

As Jac Morgan continues to skipper the team, Wales co-captain Dewi Lake has been left out of Warren Gatland's 23-man squad for Sunday's World Cup showdown against Australia. Warren Gatland has drafted the same squad that defeated Fiji 12 days ago, with Ryan Elias starting at hooker in a team dominated by flanker Jac Morgan.

As three of the four UK nations face matches in France over the next two days, sporting enthusiasts are likely to enjoy a weekend of British prowess. Wales will face Portugal in Stade de Nice on Saturday, while Ireland will face Tonga at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes. Thenss of England and Japan are set to meet in Tokyo on Sunday. It's not just the country's rugby fans who will be cheering for the players; families and loved ones will be aided by their families, from family members to spouses. FEMAIL takes a look at the glamorous wives and girlfriends who cheered the British athletes on this weekend.

Warren Gatland will celebrate his 60th birthday on Sunday, but he will do so with a few more grey locks after his Wales side was given ample reason to be concerned by Portugal. In the end, a second-string Wales team making 13 changes from their opening victory over Fiji did enough to finish first on the Cote d'Azur and with a much-needed bonus point. But it was far from simple.

RORY KEANE: When Romania set up in Bordeaux last weekend to face Ireland, they had Fonovai Tangimana and Tevita Manumua in their ranks. Both a pair of Tongan-born backs who had been looking for pastures new and were now wearing the colors of their adopted country. Nuku'alofa, Tonga's capital, and Bucharest's capital, is only about 167,000 kilometers apart, but a Pacific Islander's journey to earn a living is a long one. Tongans will be seen pleading for their trade in any international – and semi-pro – rugby tournament. Although this tiny country in the south Pacific has a population of 106,000 residents, they have always punched above their weight on the biggest stage.

Warren Gatland has reported that World Rugby has informed him and his Wales team that several decisions against them had been wrong in their dramatic victory over Fiji. The officiating at the World Cup in France has been a big talking point in the tournament so far, particularly in Wales' Pool C opener. Referee Matthew Carley may have shown Gatland's side more than one yellow card in a thrilling finale with Fiji in Bordeaux as they came under intense late pressure.

ALEX BYWATER AT STADIUM DE BORDEAUX: This win over a tumultuous Fiji side would have sparked heart palpitations for anyone with even a passing interest in Welsh rugby. It must have been sheer joy for Warren Gatland. What a game this was. It had promised a lot. And it came. Wales' World Cup campaign is off to a winning start, and that is unquestionable for their pride and determination. Gatland's team owes a lot for the rough handling of this fight against the Fijians. They also got five points.

ALEX BYWATER IN BORDEAUX: Wales' World Cup squad arrived in Bordeaux from Paris yesterday via train, and after '15 weeks of wretchedness,' the No 8 Taulupe Faletau returned to their side. In their Pool C opener on Sunday, Warren Gatland's men take on Fiji. They will be hoping that their match with the Pacific Islanders is as smooth sailing as their TGV ride through France. Well, it is unlikely to be so, although head coach Gatland was able to announce his arrival in Bordeaux by naming a solid team. Dewi Lake's captaincie will be unable to participate against Fiji due to a lack of training time, but Faletau is back from missing Wales' warm-up games due to a calf injury.

With Jac Morgan as the captain of the Wales side of the World Cup opener, Taulupe Faletau has made a quick return to the Wales side for their World Cup opener, but Dewi Lake has been ruled out against Fiji. Faletau, the No. 8 in France, missed all three of his team's tournament warm-up games due to a calf injury but has recovered to full fitness in time to start when it matters. On Thursday, Warren Gatland's crew travelled from Paris to Bordeaux by train, with their head coach naming his team to face the Pacific Island nation on arrival.

ALEX BYWATER IN VERSAILLES: Wales is expected to have a 'judgement time' in their World Cup opener against Fiji, but Warren Gatland's loss of their star fly-half has given the team a leg up. On Thursday, head coach Gatland and his fully fit crew of 33 players will trade the sweltering heat of Versailles on the outskirts of Paris for a similarly hot Bordeaux. The team will face Fiji in Bordeaux, their longtime adversary, a team that has competed in every international tournament since losing in Nantes in 2007.

On a sweltering Tuesday afternoon on the outskirts of Paris, the heavy police presence as Wales-trained at Stade de Porchefontaine seemed a touch excessive. Warren Gatland's side has no idea that trouble is just around the corner. The French authorities will not be able to assist Wales against Fiji in Bordeaux on Sunday, but the French authorities will not be able to assist Wales against Fiji. A fully fit squad will be able to support their head coach. Gatland has all 33 of his players available for his team's Pool C opener after a summer of injury concerns, particularly surrounding No 8 Taulupe Faletau. After arriving straight from the Wales training pitch where the temperature hit 33 degrees, Gatland in Versailles said, 'Everyone is fit.'

ALEX BYWATER: On the eve of Warren Gatland's departure from France, Taulupe Faletau has given the Welsh team a World Cup boost. Given his world-class talent and experience at the back of the scrum, Cardiff forward Faletau is one of Wales' most important players. However, the 32-year-old - who has 100 caps for his country - missed all three of Wales' World Cup warm-up games due to a calf injury.