Faletau return boosts Cardiff for Dragons derby

United Rugby Championship: Dragons v Cardiff

Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport Date: Friday, 17 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Cardiff number eight Taulupe Faletau has given Wales a boost before the autumn internationals by returning to face Dragons in the United Rugby Championship derby.

The 34-year-old will play his first game of the season after recovering from a calf injury and faces Wales rival Aaron Wainwright on Friday night.

New Wales head coach Steve Tandy names his squad on Tuesday, 21 October with the opening game against Argentina on Sunday, 9 November.

“Whenever he’s on the team-sheet, he always lifts everybody’s confidence in the team,” said Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl.

“We know what he can do. Hopefully he can bring that to the pitch.”

Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia has made 10 personnel changes from the side that lost 49-0 to Glasgow.

Faletau is one of five returning internationals for Cardiff alongside wing Josh Adams, centre Ben Thomas, prop Corey Domachowski and flanker Alex Mann.

Jacob Beetham switches to outside centre where he partners Thomas, who returns from suspension.

Dragons are looking to end Cardiff’s decade of dominance in the east Wales derby.

Dragons have lost 19 matches in all competitions against Cardiff and the past 20 league matches between the two sides, which includes the Rainbow Cup fixture in 2021.

Cardiff’s previous league defeat in this fixture came in December 2014, while Dragons’ last win was a Challenge Cup quarter-final success in April 2015.

“We have spoken about what this fixture means to us,” said Wainwright.

“It’s not something to be proud of, having a record like that against them.

“I have been at Dragons all my career and haven’t beaten Cardiff, so that’s definitely an achievement I want to get this weekend.”

Wainwright was part of the Wales team that ended an 18-match losing streak by defeating Japan in July.

“In my head, going through the period we’ve gone through with Wales, being able to put that to bed, that’s sort of a similar mindset going into this weekend,” said Wainwright, who added beating Cardiff “would be a nice double”.

“Cardiff will have that edge about them and think they can just turn up and roll over over us.

Cardiff have started the season with two wins in three games and lie fourth in the URC table.

Dragons have gone 20 games without winning a league match since defeating Ospreys in September 2024 but van Zyl is wary of their local rivals.

“It’s a Welsh derby, which are always tight affairs and Rodney Parade is a tough place to go,” said van Zyl.

“The Dragons rotated their team a bit last week, so they will be fresh and hugely motivated to take us on.

“They will throw everything at us, but we are excited by the challenge.”

Dragons: O’Brien (co-capt); Dyer, Owen, Ackerman, Inisi; de Beer, R Williams; W Jones, Coghlan, Hunt, S Davies, Carter (co-capt), Lewis-Hughes, Beddall, Wainwright.

Replacements: Burrows, Martinez, D Lewis, Screech, Woodman, N Armstrong, C Evans, Anderson.

Cardiff: Winnett; Adams, Beetham, B Thomas, Bowen; Sheedy, A Davies; Domachowski, Belcher (capt), Assiratti, McNally, Nott, Mann, D Thomas, Faletau.

Replacements: E Lloyd, Southworth, Sebastian, Thornton, Lawrence, Basham, Mulder, I Lloyd.

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)

Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (WRU), Adam Jones (WRU)