WALES V AUSTRALIA (Friday KO 8.30BST)

TOBY Faletau will play at openside flanker for only the second time in his career on Friday – in the World Cup third place play-off match.

Faletau is the Newport Gwent Dragons No 8 and he is about to become the only player in Wales’ World Cup squad to start all seven games – astonishing for any player, never mind a 20-year-old.

But this will be his first appearance for Wales at openside flanker, the only previous occasion he played there was for the Dragons against Munster in Ireland in the Magners League last season.

“We lost,” Faletau recalled, not sure who he was up against that day, though he knows it wasn’t top Ireland flanker David Wallace. “It was tough playing there because there was a lot more running. But we have been swapping around in training and it’s not that much different.”

When it was suggested to Faletau that he must be running on empty, especially as he is the top tackler and ball carrier in the camp, he said, “No, we’ve been managed properly and we’ve recovered well. I’m fine and I’m ready to go again.

“I’m trying not to read too much into it and there are still things I need to work on. But Luke (Charteris) has spoken to the Dragons and we’ll have a couple of weeks off when we get home so I’ll try to go away.

“There was a lot of competition coming into the World Cup and I’ve been lucky enough to play in every game. It’s been a great experience playing in the World Cup and it’s my first time in New Zealand.

“It’s just good to go out there and play rugby. I always used to play for fun, it was something to do and I didn’t really get into rugby until I was a teenager.”

Faletau’s parents, Kuli, the ex-Ebbw Vale and Pontypool lock, and Vika joined him in New Zealand, but dad is as quiet as Toby.

“He doesn’t talk to me too much about it, it’s nice to have them here, it means a lot to me, he’s just glad I haven’t had any injuries,” said Toby.

Gatland decided to put Faletau at seven rather than Dragons teammate Dan Lydiate, explaining: “Toby has played there before and Ryan (Jones) is an experienced No 8. Toby has been playing excellently and against France he ran some good lines. I’m sure you’ll see a top quality game from him in that position.”

Gatland made only one real change in the side, with Bradley Davies coming in for the rested Alun Wyn Jones, meaning the Dragons again supply three members of the pack – Faletau, Lydiate and Luke Charteris with Lloyd Burns on the bench.

He has retained James Hook at outside half despite his shocker against France.

WALES: L Halfpenny, G North, J Davies, J Roberts, S Williams, J Hook, M Phillips, G Jenkins (captain), B Davies, L Charteris, D Lydiate, R Jones, T Faletau.

Replacements: L Burns, R Bevington, A W Jones, A Powell, L Williams, S Jones, Scott Williams.