Faletau sees ankle specialist

Newport Dragons have sought expert advice on Taulupe Faletau's ankle injury with director of rugby, Lyn Jones, admitting it's better to be safe than sorry.

The 24-year-old's availability over the festive period has been thrown into doubt, after he was taken off during the firsthalf of the Dragons' Pro12 clash with Zebre last weekend.

Prior to the injury, Faletau had played five Pro12 matches for the Dragons this season and the Welsh region face Cardiff Blues in back-to-back matches over Christmas.

Director of rugby Jones has gone down the best possible route to determine the severity of Taulupe's injury, not willing to commit himself so soon after the incident.

"We want to be careful. It's a precautionary visit to make sure what we are seeing and feeling is right so we can move 'Toby' forward at the right speed. We have to give him time to make sure he's fine again but it's not right for me to predict how an injury is 48 hours after it has occurred.

"But we will do what's right for him because it's not just about the Cardiff Blues game, there is the Six Nations as well. What you find with a twisted ankle, is there will be a weakness for the rest of the season and it will need strapping," he said.