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Gareth Anscombe

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Gareth Anscombe
Anscombe in 2016
Birth nameGareth William Anscombe
Date of birth (1991-05-10) 10 May 1991 (age 33)
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight80 kg (12 st 8 lb; 176 lb)
SchoolRosmini College
Notable relative(s)Mark Anscombe (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Fullback
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2014 Auckland 38 (572)
2012 Blues 10 (102)
2013–2014 Chiefs 26 (253)
2014–2019 Cardiff Blues 76 (615)
2019–2023 Ospreys 19 (142)
2024– Gloucester 5 (11)
Correct as of March 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011 New Zealand U20 5 (86)
2015– Wales 37 (111)
Correct as of 9 July 2022

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.[1] 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

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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[2] and retained his place in the Auckland squad.

Club career

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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,[3] 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.[4] In 2013, he signed a contract extension with the Chiefs until 2014.[5]

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.[6] On 15 August 2019, Anscombe signed for regional rivals Ospreys after making the switch from Cardiff.[7]

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.[8] However, his registration for the Japanese club was cancelled after suffering a groin injury which required surgery.[9]

On 12 March 2024, Anscombe returned to the UK, signing for Gloucester in the English Premiership for the 2024-25 season.[10]

International career

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New Zealand

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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.[1] 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.[1]

Wales

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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.[1] Anscombe qualifies for Wales through his Cardiff-born mother.[1]

On 20 January 2015, Anscombe was named in the 34-man Wales squad for the 2015 Six Nations Championship.[11] 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

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  1. ^ a b c d e Howell, Andy (21 April 2014). "Super 15 star Gareth Anscombe tops Warren Gatland's World Cup shopping list as Cardiff Blues prepare a bid". Western Mail. Cardiff. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Gareth Anscombe profile on Aucklandrugby.co.nz". Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Super Rugby Profile: Chiefs – Gareth Anscombe". Archived from the original on 18 December 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Chiefs sign Anscombe" (Press release). Chiefs. 8 October 2012. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Chiefs re-sign six players" (Press release). Chiefs. 23 June 2013. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Cardiff Blues sign Gareth Anscombe from Waikato Chiefs". BBC Sport. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Anscombe signs for Ospreys". Ospreys Rugby. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Gareth Anscombe: Wales fly-half signs for Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath". BBC Sport. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Gareth Anscombe: Injured Wales fly-half replaced by Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath". BBC Sport. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Gareth Anscombe: Gloucester sign Wales fly-half for 2024-25 season". BBC Sport. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Wales name 34-man Six Nations squad". Welsh Rugby Union. 20 January 2015.
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