Tuesday 28 November 2017 09:57, UK
Bath may face sanctions by Premiership Rugby if Taulupe Faletau plays for Wales against South Africa on Saturday.
Wales' Under Armour Series finale falls outside the World Rugby autumn Test match window, and England's Premiership clubs have a blanket approach not to release players for those games.
The 27-year-old trained with Wales on Monday and if he plays in Saturday's game at the Principality Stadium it would be in breach of the Premiership Rugby rules and the club could be sanctioned.
It is further understood that 69 times-capped Faletau has a clause in his Bath contract giving him full release for Wales.
Bath play Premiership leaders Exeter on Saturday, when two other Wales squad members - Bath fly-half Rhys Priestland and Chiefs prop Tomas Francis - are likely to be involved in domestic action, and South Africa have released Bath flanker Francois Louw back to his club.
In terms of any Bath punishment, a precedent was set when Premiership Rugby fined Northampton £60,000 after they released Wales wing George North to face Australia outside the 2013 autumn window.
Wales go into the South Africa game on the back of a defeat against world champions New Zealand, which followed a 29-21 loss to Australia a fortnight earlier.
Head coach Warren Gatland is due to name his starting line-up on Thursday.
