Gareth Anscombe

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Gareth Anscombe

| image = Gareth Anscombe 2016.jpg

| caption = Anscombe in 2016

| birth_name = Gareth William Anscombe

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| height = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|80|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}

| ru_position = Fly-half, Fullback

| repyears1 = 2011

| repteam1 = New Zealand U20

| repcaps1 = 5

| reppoints1 = 86

| repyears2 = 2015–

| repteam2 = Wales

| repcaps2 = 37

| reppoints2 = 111

| ru_ntupdate = 9 July 2022

| years1 = 2010–2014

| clubs1 = Auckland

| apps1 = 38

| points1 = 572

| years2 = 2012

| clubs2 = Blues

| apps2 = 10

| points2 = 102

| years3 = 2013–2014

| clubs3 = Chiefs

| apps3 = 26

| points3 = 253

| years4 = 2014–2019

| clubs4 = Cardiff Blues

| apps4 = 76

| points4 = 615

| years5 = 2019–2023

| clubs5 = Ospreys

| apps5 = 19

| points5 = 142

| years6 = 2023–2024

| clubs6 = Suntory Sungoliath

| apps6 = 0

| points6 = 0

| years7 = 2024–2025

| clubs7 = Gloucester

| apps7 = 17

| points7 = 23

| ru_clubupdate = March 2024

| ru_currentteam =

| relatives = Mark Anscombe (father)

| school = Rosmini College

| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1991|05|10|df=yes}}

}}

Gareth Anscombe (born 10 May 1991) is a rugby union player who plays for Premiership Rugby side Gloucester and the Wales national rugby union team.{{cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/warren-gatland-targets-chiefs-star-7014342 |title=Super 15 star Gareth Anscombe tops Warren Gatland's World Cup shopping list as Cardiff Blues prepare a bid |first=Andy |last=Howell |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Cardiff |date=21 April 2014 |access-date=24 April 2014}} He primarily plays at fly-half but can also play as a fullback. Anscombe is the son of former Auckland and Ulster coach Mark Anscombe.

Early career

Anscombe debuted for Auckland in the 2010 season, in his first year out of school. In 2011, he was the top point scorer at the IRB Junior World Championship{{Cite web |url=http://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/players/0-Gareth-Anscombe.aspx |title=Gareth Anscombe profile on Aucklandrugby.co.nz |access-date=8 March 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150308204735/http://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/players/0-Gareth-Anscombe.aspx |archive-date=8 March 2015 |url-status=dead }} and retained his place in the Auckland squad.

Club career

Anscombe made his debut for Auckland's Blues in 2012, coming on to replace Michael Hobbs in the round two match against the Chiefs in Hamilton. His starting debut was against the Bulls in round three, in which he scored all of the Blues points in a 29–23 win. Despite compelling form in the 2012 ITM Cup, where his pin-point accurate kicking helped Auckland to a finals appearance against eventual winners Canterbury,{{cite web | url=http://rugbylinks.co.uk/super-rugby-profile-chiefs-gareth-anscombe-218.html | title=Super Rugby Profile: Chiefs – Gareth Anscombe | access-date=5 December 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218095512/http://rugbylinks.co.uk/super-rugby-profile-chiefs-gareth-anscombe-218.html | archive-date=18 December 2012 | url-status=usurped }} the Blues management seemed unmoved, and after John Kirwan took over the coaching of the Blues, Anscombe was delisted. It was announced that he would play for the Chiefs from the 2013 season.{{cite press release|url=http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/chiefs-sign-anscombe.html |title=Chiefs sign Anscombe |publisher=Chiefs |date=8 October 2012 |access-date=10 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019195839/http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/chiefs-sign-anscombe.html |archive-date=19 October 2013 }} In 2013, he signed a contract extension with the Chiefs until 2014.{{cite press release|url=http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/chiefs-re-sign-six-players.html |title=Chiefs re-sign six players |publisher=Chiefs |date=23 June 2013 |access-date=24 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228092146/http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/chiefs-re-sign-six-players.html |archive-date=28 December 2013 }}

On 24 July 2014, Anscombe moved to the UK to sign for Welsh region Cardiff Blues on a long-term deal as he is Wales qualified through his mother.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/28461695 |publisher=BBC Sport |title=Cardiff Blues sign Gareth Anscombe from Waikato Chiefs|date=24 July 2014|accessdate=27 July 2024}} On 15 August 2019, Anscombe signed for regional rivals Ospreys after making the switch from Cardiff.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/anscombe-signs-ospreys|publisher=Ospreys Rugby |title=Anscombe signs for Ospreys |date=15 August 2019|accessdate=27 July 2024}}

Anscombe left Ospreys at the end of the 2022-23 season as he moved to Japan to join Tokyo Sungoliath in the Top League competition for the 2023-24 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/66233672 |publisher=BBC Sport|title=Gareth Anscombe: Wales fly-half signs for Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath|date=21 July 2023|accessdate=27 July 2024}} However, his registration for the Japanese club was cancelled after suffering a groin injury which required surgery.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67740505|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Gareth Anscombe: Injured Wales fly-half replaced by Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath |date=17 December 2023|accessdate=27 July 2024}}

On 12 March 2024, Anscombe returned to the UK, signing for Gloucester in the English Premiership for the 2024-25 season.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/68549557 |publisher=BBC Sport |title=Gareth Anscombe: Gloucester sign Wales fly-half for 2024-25 season|date=12 March 2024|accessdate=27 July 2024}}

International career

= New Zealand =

Anscombe represented New Zealand at under-20 level; he started at first-five when New Zealand won the competition now known as the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in 2011. However, he was not tied to New Zealand at senior level; only an appearance for the All Blacks themselves, or the country's official second-level side, the Junior All Blacks, would have tied him to that country.

=Wales=

In April 2014, a report in Cardiff's Western Mail indicated that Wales head coach Warren Gatland was seriously considering fast-tracking Anscombe into that country's international set-up, and that the Cardiff Blues of Pro12 were set to offer him a contract starting with the 2014–15 Northern Hemisphere season. Anscombe qualifies for Wales through his Cardiff-born mother.

On 20 January 2015, Anscombe was named in the 34-man Wales squad for the 2015 Six Nations Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/news/32454.php#.VL43f02p7IU|title=Wales name 34-man Six Nations squad|publisher=Welsh Rugby Union |date=20 January 2015}} He made his full international debut for Wales versus Ireland on 8 August 2015 as a second-half replacement.

On Saturday 16 March 2019, Anscombe was named Guinness Man of the Match having scored 20 points in Wales's 25-7 Grand Slam-winning victory over Ireland at the Principality Stadium.

References

External links

{{Sport links}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120314030024/http://www.theblues.co.nz/players/0-Gareth-Anscombe.aspx Blues profile]
[http://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/npc/players/profile.html?playerid=520815897 Auckland RFU profile]{{dead link|date=May 2019}}

Category:1991 births

Category:New Zealand rugby union players

Category:New Zealand people of Welsh descent

Category:Wales international rugby union players

Category:Blues (Super Rugby) players

Category:Chiefs (Super Rugby) players

Category:Auckland rugby union players

Category:Cardiff Rugby players

Category:Rugby union fly-halves

Category:Rugby union fullbacks

Category:People educated at Rosmini College

Category:Rugby union players from Auckland