Gareth Anscombe is set to be sidelined for the whole of the Six Nations because of the injury he sustained on Wales duty against Australia.
His region the Ospreys reported this week it was “unlikely” the 31-year-old fly-half would be fit for the start of the championship after sustaining a smashed shoulder in the Test with the Wallabies in Cardiff on November 26.
However, the outlook seems even gloomier again for the 35-cap player.
WalesOnline has heard that he could be facing a six-month layoff or thereabouts, while The Rugby Paper suggests the talented playmaker could even be at risk of missing the World Cup, with his earliest projected return to international action not expected before next August’s global tournament warm-up matches against England.
The paper quotes a source who says: “The injury is worse than first thought. As well as putting Gareth out for the whole Six Nations, he could be struggling to make the World Cup warm-ups.”
It's the last thing Warren Gatland would have wanted to hear after his installation as Wales head coach for the second time.
The New Zealander will start work this week on the huge job of trying to rebuild a competitive Wales from the ruins of a dismal 2022. He had singled out Anscombe for plaudits for his efforts during the November Tests, saying: "I thought Anscombe was excellent in playing to the line and getting the ball moving.” You can read more here about the players who impressed Gatland.
Sadly, the Ospreys man is facing a prolonged spell on the casualty list. He could be forgiven when his luck will turn, having spent more than two years on the sidelines with a knee injury sustained while playing for Wales in the summer of 2019. A rib problem took him out of the picture for his region earlier on this season, but he returned to start three games for Wales during the autumn.
The side were coasting at 34-13 against Australia when he picked up this latest knock. Thereafter, they fell apart en route to losing 39-34. Anscombe's exit on 55 minutes was far from the only reason why Wales imploded against the Wallabies, but it wasn't insignificant.
The No. 10's head coach at the Ospreys, Toby Booth, said at the region’s midweek press call: “He’s a guy we feel for because he’s worked so hard. But the one thing about Gareth is that he’ll keep pushing.
“He’s a very resilient guy who’ll do his utmost to get back as soon as he can.”
Better news for Gatland is that Dan Biggar started his comeback after injury when he featured for Toulon in their EPCR Challenge Cup win over Zebre.
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