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'It was tough to take': Gareth Anscombe reveals World Cup injury anguish
Star Wales first-five Gareth Anscombe has opened up about his disappointment of missing the World Cup in Japan through injury.
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The 28-year-old sustained a serious knee injury during a World Cup warm-up game against England at Twickenham last month, ruling him out of this month’s tournament.
Consequently, Anscombe could be sidelined for up to nine months, but what stings more is the fact that the Kiwi-born 28-year-old will be forced to watch rugby’s global showpiece event from home in Wales.
“I guess when Japan comes around that will be the hardest time to deal with it,” Anscombe said according to the BBC.
“It was tough to take after a thorough eight weeks in a gruelling training camp. The most frustrating thing was that I had such a fitness base and my body was feeling fit and healthy.
“For it to be taken away was a tough pill to swallow and I can’t say it has fully hit me yet.
“Those are the things I will miss, even stepping out of the Wales WhatsApp group a couple of weeks ago was tough.
“I had been working towards this tournament for a long while and felt I could have played a key role in helping the team achieve something pretty special.
“So I suppose the hardest time for me will be waking up and watching the boys play in Japan.”
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Anscombe started the game despite his knee not feeling fully right, and it counted against him after side-stepping England fullback Elliot Daly.
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Feeling pain and aware that his knee wasn’t functioning properly, Anscombe decided to play on for a further 20 minutes, and even kicked a conversion before leaving the field.
?”It was a funny 20 minutes,” he said.
“I was feeling good and it was all done on the run down the sidelines and stepping Daly.
“I went to step him running full speed, a motion I have done countless times before.
“I just felt a pop and remember hitting the deck and did not feel right. We checked the knee and structurally it was positive so we did our best to carry on.
“I was then kicking the ball out of hand and it felt looser not stable. I did a chip kick at the end, a shot to nothing, and I knew I was coming off.”
Placed on crutches by the end of the match, Anscombe was hopeful he would only be out of action for around five weeks.
What transpired, though, was an ACL tear diagnosis, leaving him on a rehabilitation schedule until next May and effectively ruining his Pro14 season with his new club Ospreys.
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During his time off, Anscombe will run his newly-formed company, which acts as a search-engine comparison site for sports, fitness and well-being, alongside fellow Welsh international Alex Cuthbert and others.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments