Kiwi double act lights up Welsh attack
POWER PLAY: George North charges over for a try GARETH ANSCOMBE is hoping a partnership forged 11,000 miles away that helped Wales get their autumn off to a rare winning start will be given a shot at landing a pre-World Cup blow on pool rivals Australia this weekend.
With Dan Biggar ineligible to face Scotland and Rhys Patchell struggling with concussion issues, Anscombe was given the chance to stake his claim for the No10 shirt less than a year away from Japan 2019.
It was his 19th cap but only his fourth start at fly-half, yet he ran through his full attacking repertoire to mastermind the first Welsh victory in an opening November Test since 2002, with his former Auckland team-mate Hadleigh Parkes the ideal foil outside him.
“We are good mates. It’s nice to line up alongside him in a red jersey and if someone told us that four years ago, we’d never believe them,” said Anscombe, who qualifies through his Cardiff-born mother, while his fellow Kiwi is now a resident.
“He’s a cool head. We’ll keep trying to grow our partnership and hopefully when we get the ball we can cause some trouble.”
Anscombe had put George North over the
WALES SCOTLAND
line twice before halftime – the first with a chip that was ruled out by the wing putting a foot in touch, before a delayed pass sent him on a successful rampage through three Scotland defenders.
The real magic came in the second half. With a lineout 30 metres from Scotland’s line, Anscombe and Parkes opened the playbook, putting Parkes at first receiver and sending Anscombe out to where Huw Jones had been exposed as the weakest defensive link.
Parkes long to Anscombe; Anscombe short to Jonathan Davies; Jones handed off; Davies’ first Wales outing for 12 months decorated with a try. Simple, smart and devastating.
It was a sixth win on the bounce for Warren Gatland’s side – but Australia’s dominance over Wales stretches to 13. With their meeting in Tokyo on September 29 next year likely to decide the shape of Pool D, Saturday’s Test has added spice.
“They’ve had the wood over us the last few years,” said Anscombe. “We have to be better but we’ll give it a crack.”