RISING star Toby Faletau looks set to miss Wales’ Six Nations campaign with an ankle injury that rules him out of action for six weeks.

It is a bitter blow for the Newport Gwent Dragons No8 with a Wales team insider saying Faletau was “gutted” at the news.

The 20-year-old Tongan-born back rower came so close to winning his first cap in the autumn.

He was on the bench for November’s clash with Fiji which ended in a 16-16 draw.

But coach Warren Gatland decided against giving him his debut as a replacement in a shocking Wales performance.

Faletau was one of five uncapped players in Gatland’s 28-man Six Nations squad and was a back-up for Ryan Jones, Andy Powell and Jonathan Thomas.

He picked up his ankle injury during the Dragons’ disappointing 23-16 defeat to Glasgow in the Heineken Cup at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

Dragons rugby manager Robert Beale empathised with the enormously talented player over the setback.

“We are obviously very disappointed for Toby,” he said. “He has proven that he is a quality player and to have the opportunity for his international debut lost to injury is a real blow for him.”

Young Scarlets back rower Rob McCusker takes Faletau’s place in the squad.

Wales physiotherapist Mark Davies said: “Toby has ligament damage to his ankle and will be in a boot for a period of two to three weeks.

“He will then begin rehab meaning he is ruled out for around six weeks.”

The son of Tonga international Kili Faletau, he was spotted by the Dragons when he was at Bristol’s Filton College.

Faletau immediately took his chance, putting in some highly polished performances. But it now seems highly unlikely that he will get a chance at making his Wales debut in the Six Nations.