Wales will be without two of their Lions Test back-rowers for the Six Nations after the Bath No8, Taulupe Faletau, joined Sam Warburton on the injury list.
Warburton, the Lions captain on their past two tours, is unlikely to play this season because of neck and knee problems while Faletau suffered knee ligament damage during Bath’s European Champions Cup defeat at Toulon last Saturday.
Faletau was taken out at a ruck by the Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud and twisted the left knee that twice suffered ligament damage last season. He has a grade three medial ligament tear and will see a specialist to find out whether surgery is required. Whatever the outcome, he will be out of action for three to four months. The lower end of the estimate would mean he would back in action one week before the end of the Six Nations. "A grade three tear is the most serious one a player can have," said Todd Blackadder, Bath's director of rugby. "I was pretty excited at having Toby back after four big games for Wales in the autumn and to lose him is a blow."
Bath hoped their England flanker Sam Underhill would be fit for the return against Toulon at the Rec on Saturday, but he is still feeling symptoms after suffering a second concussion of the season last month while playing against Australia at Twickenham.
The England centre Manu Tuilagi is in line to make his return from injury for Leicester against Munster at Welford Road on Sunday. He, along with his fellow midfielder Matt Toomua, is back in training having suffered a knee injury following the opening match of the season that was his second start this year.
“We will make a call on Manu and Matt later in the week,” said the Leicester director of rugby, Matt O’Connor. “Manu is buoyant and wants to make a contribution.”
There is a vacancy in the back division with the full-back Telusa Veainu out for eight weeks after suffering a broken jaw against Munster.
