FALETAU: WELSH CAN BUILD ON NEAR MISS

BY GRAHAM THOMAS WALES may have lost their Six Nations crown, but Taulupe Faletau sees them back among the rugby royalty at next year’s World Cup.

The Wales and Lions No.8 (below) produced a familiar world-class display which almost proved enough to deny Grand Slam-seeking France in a raucous Cardiff on Friday night before Les

Bleus edged home 13-9.

The French can now lay on a spread for ‘Les Rosbifs’ when

England go to Paris next week, while Wales will look to take out their frustrations on Italy.

But even though Faletau’s team have managed just one win in four games, the narrowness of their back-to-back losses to France and England has given the Bath star reasons for optimism.

“We put ourselves in a decent position to come away with a win against France,” Faletau said.

“We didn’t manage that, but we will take confidence from what we were able to create, and the chances and pressure we were able to apply.

“We are a squad that is building. We will just keep driving each other forward to get the best out of each other.

“The boys are disappointed now because we have put ourselves in a decent position to win the last couple of games – and come out on the wrong end both times.”