Taulupe Faletau facts for kids
Faletau in 2012
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| Birth name | Tangaki Taulupe Faletau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 12 November 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tofoa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 kg (243 lb; 17 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Pontygof Primary School, Ebbw Vale Trevethin Community School South Gloucestershire and Stroud College |
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| Notable relative(s) | Billy Vunipola (cousin) Mako Vunipola (cousin) |
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taulupe Faletau (born November 12, 1990) is a famous Welsh professional rugby union player. Many people know him as Toby Faletau. He plays as a back row forward for Cardiff Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. Taulupe has also played for the Wales national team for more than 10 years. Before joining Cardiff in 2022, he played for teams like Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales and Bath in England.
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Early Life and Nickname
Taulupe Faletau was born in Tofoa, Tonga. His father, Kuli Faletau, was also a rugby player. Kuli played for the Tonga national team in the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
In 1997, Taulupe's family moved to Wales. He went to Pontygof Primary School and then Trevethin Community School. Later, he attended Filton College (now part of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College). He was even named 'player of the year' at the college's rugby academy.
When Taulupe was a young boy, his school friends found his Tongan name hard to say. So, they started calling him Toby. Even though he is now known professionally as Taulupe, he doesn't mind if people still call him Toby.
Starting His Rugby Career
Taulupe Faletau began his rugby journey in Wales. He played for junior teams like Ebbw Vale RFC and New Panteg RFC. He played alongside his cousins, Mako Vunipola and Billy Vunipola, who are also famous rugby players.
In the 2009-2010 season, Faletau played on loan for Newport RFC and Cross Keys RFC. He made his first appearance for the senior team of Newport Gwent Dragons on November 1, 2009. This was against Edinburgh.
In December 2009, he was chosen for the Wales Under-20 Squad. He played in the 2010 Under-20 Six Nations tournament. He also played for the Wales Under-20 Squad in the Junior World Cup in Argentina in June 2010.
Playing for Clubs
Taulupe Faletau played a big part in the Newport Gwent Dragons team. He helped them reach the semi-finals of the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
In December 2015, it was announced that Faletau would move to England. He joined the English Premiership team Bath Rugby for the 2016-2017 season.
After six years with Bath, Faletau decided to return to Wales. In November 2021, it was confirmed he would join Cardiff for the 2022-2023 season. He continues to play for Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship.
Playing for Wales
Early International Appearances
Taulupe Faletau was first called up to the senior Wales squad in November 2010. In January 2011, he was part of the Wales squad for the 2011 Six Nations Championship. His first full international game for Wales was against the Barbarians on June 4, 2011.
In August 2011, he was chosen for the Wales squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. He played his first World Cup game against South Africa on September 11, 2011. He scored his first international try in that game. He scored another try against Namibia. Faletau was amazing in the tournament. He made the most tackles and carried the ball the most of any player. He was the only Welsh player to start all seven games.
Six Nations Success
Faletau played in all five matches when Wales won the Grand Slam in 2012. He was one of the best players in the tournament.
He also played in all five games when Wales won the 2013 Six Nations Championship again. This included a big 30-3 win against England in the final match.
In 2014, Faletau played in all five games of the 2014 Six Nations Championship. He scored a try in a huge 51-3 win against Scotland.
He played every minute of Wales' 2015 Six Nations Championship campaign. This included a tough 23-16 win against Ireland. In that game, Wales made 250 tackles to stop Ireland from winning a Grand Slam.
Rugby World Cups
Taulupe Faletau was selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He started in the quarter-final match against South Africa on October 17, 2015. Wales lost a close game 19-23 and were knocked out of the competition.
He also played for Wales in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
British & Irish Lions Tours
In April 2013, Faletau was chosen for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. He played as Number 8 in the final test. The Lions won the series, which was their first test series win since 1997.
Faletau was also selected for the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. He played in all three test matches against the All Blacks. On July 1, 2017, Faletau scored the first try in the second test against the All Blacks. This helped the Lions make a comeback and win the game 24-21. This was a historic win for the Lions. Faletau played the most minutes of any player on the tour.
Captaining Wales
On March 11, 2018, Taulupe Faletau was named captain of the Welsh team for the first time. This was during a match against Italy in the 2018 Six Nations Championship. He became the 131st player to captain Wales. Wales won that game 38-14.
Recent International Play
After being out due to injuries since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Faletau returned to play for Wales in February 2025. He was in the starting lineup for the second round of the 2025 Six Nations Championship against Italy.
International Tries
Tries for Wales
| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Tests | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South Africa |
Wellington, New Zealand | Westpac Stadium | 2011 Rugby World Cup | 11 September 2011 | Loss |
| 2 |  Namibia |
New Plymouth, New Zealand | Yarrow Stadium | 2011 Rugby World Cup | 26 September 2011 | Win |
| 3 |  Argentina |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2013 Autumn Internationals | 16 November 2013 | Win |
| 4 |  Scotland |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2014 Six Nations | 15 March 2014 | Win |
| 5 |  Ireland |
Dublin, Ireland | Lansdowne Road | 2016 Six Nations | 7 February 2016 | Draw |
| 6 |  England |
London, England | Twickenham | 2016 Six Nations | 12 March 2016 | Loss |
| 7 |  New Zealand |
Auckland, New Zealand | Eden Park | 2016 Summer Internationals | 11 June 2016 | Loss |
| 8 |  Italy |
Rome, Italy | Stadio Olimpico | 2021 Six Nations | 13 March 2021 | Win |
| 9 | Argentina |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2022 Autumn Internationals | 12 November 2022 | Win |
| 10 |  Australia |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2022 Autumn Internationals | 26 November 2022 | Loss |
| 11 | Italy |
Rome, Italy | Stadio Olimpico | 2023 Six Nations | 11 March 2023 | Win |
| 12 |  Portugal |
Nice, France | Stade de Nice | 2023 Rugby World Cup | 16 September 2023 | Win |
Tries for British & Irish Lions
| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Tests | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand |
Wellington, New Zealand | Westpac Stadium | 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand | 1 July 2017 | Win |
See also
In Spanish: Taulupe Faletau para niños
