We take a closer look at the winner of the number 8 position in the Regional All Stars Ultimate XV feature supported by doopoll … Taulupe Faletau.
Over 100 hundred appearances and many more memories. Ask any Dragons fan for their favourite player ever and many will pick out Talupe Faletau.
The son of former Tongan international Kili, Faletau at the Bristol Academy of Sport at Filton College when he was first spotted by the Dragons set up.
He was fast-tracked into the Dragons' Under-20 set-up and Academy and made his debut for the senior side during the 2009/10 season.
Faletau continued to progress the following season and was called up to Wales' Six Nations squad - only to be ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury.
However, the all-action Number Eight earned his first Wales cap against the Barbarians in their end of season game and pushed on from there, including in the Welsh reckoning for the 2011 World Cup.
Once at the World Cup, Faletau was an ever-present in the Wales squad and never looked back. He scored his first international try against South Africa in the opening match of the pool stage. Despite losing, Faletau was earmarked as one of Wales' standout performers.
After crossing the line against Namibia for his second try in international colours, Faletau was named at No.8 against Ireland in the quarter-finals and kept his place for the match against France in the penultimate knockout stage.
Wales fell at the semi-final hurdle but Faletau finished the tournament with an astonishing 75 tackles to his name - none missed.
Come the 2012 Six Nations, Faletau started all five matches at the back of the scrum and played a key part in their Grand Slam winning triumph.
Faletau continued to be a mainstay of the Welsh side as they retained their Six Nations title in 2013 and a call up to the British & Irish Lions squad to tour Australia followed.
Faletau would play 110 games for Dragons and when he left to join Bath in 2016 he admitted it was with a heavy heart.
“To walk away from the Dragons was a difficult decision for me and my family because I’d been there for so long and because of the opportunities they gave me,” he said.
“They’ll always have a special place in my heart. I’ve been with the Dragons throughout my career, so I’ll get out of my comfort zone now.”
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To walk away from the Dragons was a difficult decision for me... because of the opportunities they gave me...
