Anscombe excited by his Kingsholm challenge

WELSH international fly-half Gareth Anscombe says his belief Gloucester have the foundations to push on next season and be amongst the best sides in the Premiership was a big reason he has put pen to paper on a deal at the club.

The 35-cap Wales star will link up with international team mate Tomos Williams, who arrives at Kingsholm from Cardiff in the summer, at half-back to hopefully provide the Cherry and Whites with the experienced 9/10 axis they have been missing in recent years.

Talking as a guest on Gloucester’s show, Akcess All Areas, hosted by Mark Atkinson, Anscombe said: “It all happened reasonably quickly. When the opportunity came to come to the club I was pretty excited by it. I met with Skivs [director of rugby George Skivington] and a few of the boys and liked what I saw. I am really excited to join a famous club like Gloucester. I am really looking forward to it.

At 32, Anscombe brings a wealth of experience with him having played Super Rugby for New Zealand clubs the Blues and Chiefs, and then in the United Rugby Championship for Cardiff and Ospreys. He said: “All fly-halves tend to try and take control of the attack along with the coaches and I think that is something I can help bring [to Gloucester] with my experience.

“When I had a little look under the hood at the club I feel the foundations are here to really push on and I hope that with a few others we can really do that next year.”

Anscombe, who will join the Cherry and Whites in the summer, is living back in Wales after his planned move to join Japanese League One side Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath after the 2023 World Cup fell apart.

Anscombe explained: “I was making some good progress with my rehab but when I got out to Japan we found out the abductor was off the bone and it had come a long way down the leg. It was a big shock. I had to fly back to the UK. I came back to Wales and got the surgery and I am not quite fully fit just yet but I am getting there.”