TOBY Faletau is being tipped to have an assured Wales debut when he takes on the Barbarians this afternoon by his Newport Gwent Dragons and international teammate Dan Lydiate.

The back row combination Faletau, Lydiate and captain Sam Warburton represents a new age for Wales, promising a potent blend of graft, artistry and raw power.

The breakaway trio has an average age of just over 21 and their selection is a refreshing change from some more ponderous units of recent memory.

And blindside flanker Lydiate, 23, says 20-year-old No 8 Faletau isn’t suffering from stage fright ahead of his first cap at the Millennium Stadium today.

Lydiate said: “I asked him in the week, ‘Are you feeling nervous Tob?’ ‘No,’ he said. ‘It should be good, shouldn’t it?

“If he takes that attitude on the pitch and plays as well as he does for the Dragons, he’ll be fine.

“You can see if a player’s got something. He plays like he has been around for years.

“He’s so laid back and takes everything in his stride – nothing seems to faze him.

“Toby’s an elusive ball carrier, he’s got a good work rate and hopefully, we’ll gel as a back row together and all have strong performances as a unit.”

Lydiate is also delighted to be playing with two other Dragons in the side – lock Luke Charteris and wing Aled Brew – as well as former Cross Keys hooker Lloyd Burns on the bench, poised to also make his Wales debut.

“It a nice feeling to have the recognition,” Lydiate said. “At the end of the season the Dragons put together a couple of good team performances and we got good results. The national coaches say they always pick on form and it’s good to see these players getting their chance.”