TAULUPE Faletau has brushed aside jibes from ex-All Black Zinzan Brooke that he does not boast enough "mongrel edge" to shine for the British and Irish Lions.

Brooke revealed "reservations" about the former Newport Gwent Dragons number eight in an early shot across the bows from New Zealand ahead of this summer's three-Test Lions tour.

Faletau dismissed that criticism however, as Warren Gatland's men continue to gear up for Saturday's tour opener against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.

"That's up to him to say what he wants to say," Faletau, who left Rodney Parade for Bath last summer. "I've got no reply for him to be honest. It's his opinion and I'll just go about doing my job."

Billy Vunipola's shoulder injury has scotched the chance for Faletau and his two Vunipola cousins, who were all raised in Pontypool, to grace the same Lions team this summer.

Saracens' wrecking-ball number eight Vunipola's tour-ending injury deprives the Lions of one of the globe's outstanding talents - but Faletau insists the northern hemisphere outfit can cope in his absence.

"It is a huge blow, I'm not going to deny that," said Faletau of Billy Vunipola's injury.

"He has been playing well for a long time. But the quality of back row here is more than capable of covering any injuries."

Billy Vunipola withdrew himself from the Lions tour, feeling unable to delay any longer a shoulder operation to cure a long-standing injury.

The Lions' management later admitted they had attempted to convince Vunipola to try to delay surgery still further, but were left praising the Saracens star's honesty in admitting the severity of his problem.

Asked if he will miss the chance to feature alongside his cousins, the Vunipola brothers, Faletau continued: "It is definitely a shame. We all wanted to be on this tour together and to take the pitch together for the first time in a long time. It wasn't meant to be.

"It's always evident what Billy does; he just batters people when he gets the ball and it takes a lot of people to take him down.

"He has a huge influence on games he plays in."

Faletau hailed captain Sam Warburton as a calming influence on the Lions squad, admitting surprise on learning the Cardiff star does suffer from nerves before big games.

"He puts the high expectations of himself onto the team," said Faletau of Warburton.

"It is everybody's expectations to come out here and do a good job. That's what he believes in and what he tries to get the boys rallying around.

"He doesn't really talk as much as maybe someone else does, he's one of those that leads by example, that's his kind of thing.

"And as a collective we're together in what we believe in.

"Throughout the time he's captained me he's handled himself amazingly in all the situations he's been put in, obviously captaining Wales at such a young age and then the Lions. With the help of other leaders in the squads he's done a good job.

"He speaks about being nervous but he's never come across like that to me.

"I think he's settled into it more and more as the years have gone on but I've never been there and thought he's nervous or anything. He's always calm."