Gloucester fly-half Anscombe hopes for Wales call

Gloucester fly-half Gareth Anscombe says he hopes for a Wales recall this autumn but is taking nothing for granted.

Anscombe, 33, last played Test rugby when he guided Wales to an historic 40-6 World Cup win against Australia in September 2023.

He was injured in the warm-up for the following game against Georgia and missed the rest of the season which ruled him out of the Six Nations and summer tour of Australia.

Anscombe has joined Gloucester and impressed in three games so far this season.

Wales face Fiji, Australia and South Africa next month with Wales head coach Warren Gatland due to name his squad on 21 October.

"If I keep myself together, I would love to still pull on the red jersey come November," Anscombe told the Scrum V podcast.

"I have been around the squad for a while but obviously had a few injuries.

"I suppose when you get to my age and you have had the setbacks I have had, I have learned not to try and look too far into the future because it can change so quickly."

Anscombe has linked up with fellow Wales half-back Tomos Williams at Gloucester.

Scrum-half Williams, who also missed the summer tour because of injury, has taken over the club captaincy and starred with two tries in the defeat to Sale last weekend.

The Gloucester pair are being touted for a Wales recall.

"For us to do that we have to make sure we are playing well for Gloucester and get a couple of wins," said Anscombe.

"Hopefully that will take care of itself in the next couple of weeks and we will see what happens."

In Anscombe's absence and with Dan Biggar retiring from international rugby after the World Cup, young fly-halves Sam Costelow, Ioan Lloyd and Ben Thomas have filled the Wales number 10 shirt in the last 12 months.

"It is a position that demands attention," said Anscombe.

"It is the quarter-back spot and can come with massive highs and lows.

"I sympathise with some of the boys who have gone through it over the years. I have gone through it, it's almost like a rite of passage."

Scarlets pair Costelow and Lloyd started the Six Nations matches, while Thomas, normally a centre with Cardiff, was handed the fly-half responsibility for the three summer Tests against South Africa and Australia.

"It is important for young 10s to have time in the saddle, to be in the front line making decisions and trying things out," said Anscombe.

"Unfortunately it is going to be a position where you can get some things wrong and it is quite often played out publicly. There can be big mistakes that lead to points in games.

"So we have to be careful about how we look after the young boys in that sense and can probably give them a bit more grace.

"I think some of the boys are resilient and am sure they will be around for years to come."

Anscombe accepts the loss of a generation of established internationals in the last 18 months has not helped young Wales fly-halves.

"What probably hasn't helped the younger crop is the Wales team has changed so much since the last World Cup," said Anscombe.

"We have lost so much quality seasoned professionals and they have been chucked into the cauldron with a lot of youngsters next to them.

"With Wales one of the biggest challenges is they have had to change so much personnel."