Anscombe reveals how Eddie Jones' pep talk influenced Japanese move
Gareth Anscombe has spoken about his excitement over a new rugby challenge in Japan but insists he aims to continue his international career. Talking to Sportin Wales, the Rugby World Cup-bound Wales No10 revealed he has signed a two-year deal with Suntory Sungoliath and will relocate to Japan after the upcoming tournament in France.
He becomes the latest high-profile player to leave Welsh domestic rugby as the regional game re-sets its financial structures after a chaotic season. Anscombe – a co-founder of Sportin Wales magazine alongside Wales teammate Alex Cuthbert – says he is looking forward to continuing his successful top-level career with the five-times Japanese champions.
“I am really excited about the challenge of playing in Japan and for a great club like Suntory, who have always been among the leading clubs there,” he said. “It’s a new country, a fascinating new culture, and a fresh rugby stimulus for me, so it’s all very appealing.
“It had always been on my to-do list to play in a very different rugby setting and now I have got this opportunity, I feel incredibly grateful. I am looking forward to getting out there in November for the start of their next season, settling in and trying to learn the language, which is important in the position I play where good communication with everyone is vital.”
Anscombe has won 39 Wales caps, so he is well above the WRU 25-cap threshold that enables players based outside the country to continue to be selected. His club commitments for Tokyo-based Suntory will mean he is likely to be unavailable for the 2024 Six Nations, but he has no plans to retire from international rugby.
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The 32-year-old added: “I’m probably not going to be available for the Six Nations, but I’d be very keen to have a conversation with Warren Gatland about what role I could play. There is a Wales tour to Australia next summer and I would love to be in contention for that. Playing for Wales means a massive amount to me, and I want to be able to have the honour of that opportunity for as long as possible, however that works out.”
New Zealand-born Anscombe played Super Rugby for the Blues in Auckland, before moving to Wales in 2014 when he joined Cardiff. Qualified to play for Wales through his Welsh mother, he made his Test debut in 2015 and was a key player in the squad that won the Grand Slam in 2019.
Anscombe moved to the Ospreys that same year, but suffered a serious knee injury that ruled him out of the 2019 World Cup. He fought his way back to fitness and then overcame a shoulder injury suffered last November, before returning for the Ospreys and the Barbarians before the end of last season.
It was during his week with the Baa-Baas before they played at Twickenham in May that Anscombe was able to pick the brains of Australia coach Eddie Jones, a consultant to Suntory Sungoliath. “I had a conversation with Eddie, who obviously knows a great deal about rugby in Japan, and I have also spoken to a few New Zealanders who have either already played there or are considering it.
“The club rugby in Japan is really taking off and it’s a country where the game generally is booming. I loved watching the Japan team at the last World Cup. I thought they were by far the most exciting team in the tournament.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to comments