On top of that Wales finished fourth in the 2011 World Cup and Faletau was a key figure in the final Test victory for the British & Irish Lions this summer.
Having been forced to play second fiddle to Jamie Heaslip for the first two Tests in Australia, Faletau came of age in Sydney when given his chance.
A key turnover in the second half was the momentum shift that the Lions needed as they went on to claim a historic first series win in 16 years.
Also last summer Faletau signed a new deal, contracting him to the Newport Gwent Dragons until 2016.
The news is a huge boost for the region that he calls home and Faletau's impact at the club is clear for all to see.
Five tries in 47 career appearances in the competition do not tell the whole story and Faletau's seven appearances and counting this season have helped the Dragons into an impressive sixth place in the table.
And with more than half the season now in the rearview mirror, the challenge for Faletau and co is to maintain their superb start to the campaign.
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