Rugby-Unlucky Anscombe puts past woes behind him to start for Wales
15/09/2023 17:59
By Nick Said
NICE, France, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Wales flyhalf Gareth
Anscombe missed the 2019 Rugby World Cup though injury and
almost suffered the same fate again four years on, but will
start in Saturday’s Pool C fixture against Portugal having
missed all his side’s warm-up games.
The New Zealand-born number 10, who can also play at
fullback, injured his knee weeks before the tournament in Japan.
This time round it was his thumb that almost provided more World
Cup misery.
"I went to chop George (North) and just got his knee flush
on the thumb," Anscombe said of the injury picked up at the
team’s training camp in Turkey.
"It didn’t look great at the start and the initial prognosis
was it was probably going to need surgery.
"But thankfully the scans came back better than first
thought and it looked like there would be a chance of getting
back right.
"I had to be in a cast for a month which was difficult but
at least I could still run."
Anscombe admits to doubts at the time, but says he draws
inspiration from others who have beaten the clock to be fit for
the tournament in France.
"It’s hard to look too far ahead when you’re going through
those moments. There are so many what ifs, buts and maybes," he
said. "I had a night there in Turkey where I thought I was done
again and that was devastating. You have some dark thoughts.
"But you look at the likes of (South Africa captain Siya)
Kolisi, who was out for a long time and was superb in his first
game back. It can be done. I know there is always a bit of ring
rust.
Anscombe's happier World Cup memories are of watching New
Zealand lift the trophy on home soil 12 years ago.
"I went to the 2011 World Cup with Dad, I was at the final
in Auckland. I remember the hysteria that followed in New
Zealand and how the country was taken over by the World Cup.
"It's been a wild ride for myself and, more than anything,
I’m just really proud to be here. I hope to do as well as I can
and be part of this Welsh team doing something special."
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
((nick.said@thomsonreuters.com;))