Wales number eight Taulupe Faletau has fractured his shoulder and will not play again this season.

It is desperately unfortunate for the 33-year-old, who was hurt on his Cardiff comeback last week after a six-month injury lay-off.

Faletau suffered a broken arm in Wales' World Cup victory against Georgia in October 2023 in Nantes before missing the Six Nations with a calf injury.

He returned for Cardiff's 19-17 defeat by Ulster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) but was forced off in the 30th minute.

Faletau was clutching the same arm he damaged in France, but Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt confirmed on Thursday that it is a new injury.

Sherratt added that there is no ligament damage and Faletau, capped 104 times by Wales and six by the British and Irish Lions, is unlikely to need surgery but was unable to give a timeline for his recovery.