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Gareth Anscombe visits Kingsholm as Gloucester hunt new fly-half
By Neil Fissler
Gareth Anscombe has been shown around Kingsholm as Gloucester step up their bid to sign a new fly-half, with Scotland international Adam Hastings joining Glasgow next season.
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Hastings confirmed his departure earlier this month after contract talks with the Cherry and Whites stalled at the last minute, allowing the Warriors to make their move.
RugbyPass understands that Gloucester were keen to re-sign out-of-favour Ireland international Billy Burns, who made nearly 100 appearances for the Gallagher Premiership club. He is leaving Ulster this summer but has opted for Munster instead.
The 32-year-old Auckland-born Anscombe, an ex-New Zealand U20s international who has won 37 Wales caps, was due to play for Japanese outfit Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath after the recent Rugby World Cup in France.
However, his registration was cancelled just two weeks after signing when a scan revealed he needed an operation on the groin he damaged during the warm-up before Wales’ World Cup clash with Georgia.
Anscombe faced 10 weeks on the sideline after undergoing the operation. Under Japan League One rules, teams can only register three category three players (foreign-capped players) at any one time.
He could be re-registered by Suntory, who replaced him with Argentina’s Nicolas Sanchez, if he regains his fitness before the end of the club season which runs until May.
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Anscombe, who left the Ospreys at the end of last season, has been doing his rehab in South Wales and is thinking over Gloucester’s offer after meeting them for talks and a guided tour of their facilities.
He is the second big name linked this week with George Skivington’s ninth-place Premiership side as RugbyPass revealed on Tuesday that they were also weighing up a move for ex-England winger Christian Wade, who is currently playing for Racing 92.