Italy v Wales: Aaron Wainwright and Taulupe Faletau in Six Nations fitness race
2025-02-04
Category: sports

Men's Six Nations: Italy v WalesVenue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Date: Saturday, 8 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMTCoverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on ITV1 and S4C.
Wales have not ruled out number eight duo Aaron Wainwright and Taulupe Faletau for the Six Nations trip to face Italy in Rome on Saturday.Both back rowers have taken part in training in Nice, with Wales remaining in France following their opening record 43-0 defeat in Paris.Wainwright, 27, left the field in the fourth minute at the Stade de France after taking a blow to his head but suffered no facial fracture or concussion.Faletau, 34, was unavailable to face France because of a knee issue. "We are still monitoring them and hopeful, and in the next sort of 24 hours we can make a definite decision on that," said Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys.Wales head coach Warren Gatland is due to name his side on Thursday.Ospreys centre Owen Watkin will not be involved for the rest of the tournament because he will have surgery for a serious knee injury suffered in Paris.
Dragons number eight Wainwright avoided a suspected broken cheekbone but has suffered a nasty gash."The main issue was a fracture," said Humphreys."He doesn't have that fracture, so we are pretty hopeful he will be available."He had an unbelievable gash in terms of you could see his teeth through that."That's the thing for us. He's a tough kid and he's like 'I'll be all right, they can just stitch me back up', but it's a pretty bad gash."He's got eight days to turn around [between games] so we are hopeful, especially since he's desperate to play."Scarlets back row Taine Plumtree has been flown in to join up with the squad while James Botham switched from flanker to number eight for the game in Paris.Cardiff number eight Faletau has not played an international since the World Cup pool victory against Georgia in October 2023, the last time Wales won a Test match.Gatland's side have since suffered 13 successive international defeats, including seven Six Nations losses on the bounce.The defeat in Paris was the first time Wales had failed to score in a tournament match since 1998, while it is 18 years since they previously finished pointless, in a 31-0 loss to Australia in 2007.