Taulupe Faletau has been dubbed an “unbelievable X-Factor” player after helping keep Cardiff on course for the BKT URC Play-Offs.
The 34-year-old Wales back row legend produced a Player of the Match display in a compelling 26-21 bonus point victory over top eight rivals Munster at a packed Arms Park.
He was the game’s top carrier (17) and made the second most tackles (21) even though he was only on the field for 63 minutes, while he also set up a try for good measure.
Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt commented: “He’s unbelievable, isn’t he?
“He’s right up there with one of the best that’s ever put a red shirt on.
"He is such a class act. He's obviously a talented athlete, but it's also his diligent work ethic behind the scenes and his understanding of the game.
“It’s a pleasure to see him do his thing every day. He’s very unassuming, he doesn’t say a lot, he just goes out and delivers and he gets better with each performance.
“For me, that’s probably his best performance in a blue and black shirt. He showed his full repertoire - stepping, line breaks, great timing of passes, defended well.”
The players’ perspective on Faletau was provided by scrum-half Johan Mulder who scored the match-winning try in front of a crowd of 11,253.
“He has got that X-Factor, he is just incredible,” said the South African.
“He is very composed and chilled on the field.
“You can see why he is a British and Irish Lion and why he has the amount of caps he has. He is a world class No 8.”
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As for the man himself, he was typically humble and modest as he picked up his Player of the Match award.
“The shift some of the boys put in out there, I feel embarrassed coming up to collect this. There are many that could have come,” he said.
“The fight from the boys in the last five to ten minutes was class. It was pretty special, sitting up there and experiencing the crowd. We are just chuffed to get the result.”
The 106-cap Faletau is out of contract in June and admits he is uncertain over his future.
“I don’t know where I will be playing next season yet,” he said.
“It’s just been up and down, playing and not playing, so to get the run of games the last few weeks has been good. I am just happy to get out there with the boys.
“Hopefully we can keep on winning and see where we get to.”
Giving his take on the No 8’s future, Sherratt said: “I don’t know yet. It’s something we will chat about over the next couple of weeks, but Taulupe is enjoying it here.”
READ MORE: Ageless Taulupe Faletau Ready To Stride To Wales’ Rescue . . . Again
Faletau played a key role in Cardiff taking the lead in the first half, bursting away to set up centre Harri Millard who is now the joint top try scorer in the league this season, with eight, alongside Glasgow hooker Johnny Matthews.
Munster fought back to lead 21-12, but the hosts secured the spoils as a penalty try was followed by Mulder’s match-winner 15 minutes from time, ahead of some defiant defence during an extended final play.
Sherratt said: “I thought it was a real good contest. A team in sixth and a team in seventh and that’s what it looked like.
“It was end to end, blow for blow and fortunately we came out on the right side of it.”
Cardiff are now up to fifth in the table and in with a very real chance of making the URC play-offs for the first time with trips to the Bulls and Stormers to come.
“It’s been a bumpy two years for the club,” said Sherratt.
“It wasn’t long ago we were talking about starting pre-season with 12 players.
“We changed our training base, we have had a change of ownership, we have had 1800 caps leave the club and new staff.
“So this group has had every excuse to ease off. To be where we are at the moment, surrounded by good teams, is a massive credit to everyone involved in the club.
“I am just chuffed for the club as a whole.”
READ MORE: Taulupe Faletau Returns In Cardiff Win To Raise Hopes Of Six Nations Comeback
Sherratt also made a point of praising the fans who sung his team home to victory in the nerve jangling closing stages.
“The support was amazing. I was genuinely blown away by it,” he said.
“You could hear the crowd at the end and that definitely gave the boys another five or ten per cent. It does make a massive difference.
“It’s a test of any relationship how people stick by you through thick and thin and our supporters have done that in spades. I can’t thank them enough. They have been brilliant.
“Last season, we won four games. It could have easily got really sour and negative. But, through thick and thin, they have come out in their masses and supported us.
“So to give them that send off for this season was massive for us. That was for them. It’s about time they had something to shout about.”
