OSPREYS IN LINK WITH MOVE FOR FALETAU

THE Ospreys are reportedly considering an audacious attempt to bring Lions No.8 Taulupe Faletau back to Wales.

The 80-cap player signed a long-term deal with Bath in 2018, extending the arrangement he took up when moving from the Dragons two years earlier.

But The Rugby Paper report that the Ospreys are looking into the option of signing him.

The Western Mail understands no contact has yet been made with the 29-year-old.

But a potential attraction for Faletau could be the presence at the Liberty next season of Toby Booth, with whom Faletau worked during the Englishman’s stint as Bath head coach up to 2019.

Incoming Ospreys team boss Booth is said to be keen to renew links with his former player.

And, if that is the case, there seems a fair chance Faletau would at least give the charismatic Booth a hearing.

Pulling off the deal would be some coup for the Ospreys.

The 6ft 2in, 17st 4lb player may have found it hard to engage his best form of late, after a prolonged bout of injuries, but he still commands huge respect and, at 29, he is young enough to reestablish himself as a world-class performer.

Injuries have hammered him during his time in England and he has started just five Tests since December 2017.

Were he to move back to Wales he could expect to play fewer matches under a regime that would likely see the Welsh Rugby Union pay 80 percent of his wages.

However, plenty needs to happen for any such switch to become reality.

Assuming Bath are in no hurry to release him, the soonest a deal could happen is believed to be for season 2021-22, depending on whether the back rower has a break clause in his contract.