TAULUPE Faletau enjoyed the experience of a lifetime in New Zealand four years ago but the Wales number eight is hopeful of bettering it with a successful World Cup on home soil.

The Newport Gwent Dragons back row forward was a wet behind the ears 20-year-old when he made the squad in 2011 following his impressive start to international life against the Barbarians and England earlier that summer.

He would go on to be one of the stars of the tournament, playing in all seven of Wales games and racking up 75 tackles with none missed.

“It was new territory for me – I’d never travelled with the squad before and suddenly I was visiting these great places and playing in all the games,” said Lions star Faletau.

“It was surreal but looking back now it is still the best trip that I’ve ever been involved with.

“Four years has flown by and I was saying to one of the boys that I still watch internationals and pinch myself that I am going up against these players.

“You don’t get used to it. You still get butterflies watching other teams and thinking that you will be playing them some time.

“Going into the 2011 tournament I was just happy to make the squad and if I had played one game I would have been happy.

“I guess I always thought that Ryan Jones and Andy Powell would be in front of me because I had been used to watching them on television but then I got the nod for the first game against South Africa. It snowballed from there and I didn’t expect to play in all the games.”

Wales’ excellent tournament ended in heartbreak when edged out by France in the semi-finals – “it just wasn’t meant to be” – and if they are to go at least one step further then will have to do it the hard way.

They have been drawn against England, Australia and Fiji along with Sunday’s opponents Uruguay but Faletau believes it presents a glorious opportunity for the two teams that make it to the last eight.

“The World Cup was a hell of an experience for someone new to international rugby, it will take something special to top it but hopefully this tournament can with a good end result,” he said.

“We’ve just got to build on each game, getting belief from good results and performances, starting with Uruguay.

“It’s a tough group, there’s no getting around that, but whoever gets through will be in good shape because they will have had competitive rugby from the start.

“All that competition will only benefit the two teams that get through to the knockout stages and hopefully we will be one of them.”

Pontypool-raised Faletau has been a key figure for Warren Gatland ever since 2011 and, if he is selected in the opener against Uruguay, would win his 50th cap against England a week on Saturday.

He has played in the last 19 Tests and featured in all three World Cup warm-ups.

The injuries suffered by Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny against the Azzurri prompted questions about whether the key figures should have been on the field but the number eight said being wrapped in cotton wool was not an option.

“I love playing and I take every opportunity to play for Wales with both hands. I just like to be out on the pitch as much as I can and you can’t be protected,” he said.

“It was unfortunate for Rhys and Leigh after all the work they put in over the summer; to miss out so close to the World Cup must be gutting and the whole squad was disappointed for them.

“But injuries happen, they can come to anyone, anywhere, any time and it could have happened in training.”

Faletau avoided injury and is looking forward to putting the hard summer graft to use.

“At the moment it just feels like a normal Test week rather than the World Cup because we are at the Vale Resort (their usual international base),” he said.

“The surroundings are so familiar but next week when we are away as a squad in England it will start feeling really special and that the World Cup is here.”