Gareth Anscombe considers ending Wales career after World Cup for big-money move

Gareth Anscombe is believed to be pondering a big-money move after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with France and Japan the likeliest destinations.

The 31-year-old has just signed a one-year contract extension with the Ospreys, committing to Welsh rugby up until the global gathering next autumn. Were Anscombe to move abroad this summer, he would become ineligible for Wales and miss out on another World Cup because his 31 caps do not meet the 60-cap threshold.

But Anscombe, who was cruelly robbed of a place at the 2019 tournament in Japan by injury, will be staying in Wales for the next 12 months, making himself available to Wayne Pivac for the tournament in France next year.

If he does decide to leave in 2023, Anscombe would walk away from his career at Test level as he would still not have played the required 60 matches to ply his trade overseas and remain eligible for Wales call-ups.

The pivot returned from that horrible knee injury in 2019 last year and began to look like his former self towards the conclusion of the 2021/22 URC campaign. He helped the Ospreys secure Champions Cup rugby for next season, making 14 appearances and scoring 113 points. He was also the league's most accurate goal-kicker last term.

Anscombe, who will travel to South Africa with Wales this summer, said: “Getting back playing was my primary focus and with the help of my family, friends and the medical team and the strength and conditioning staff at the Ospreys, that was achieved.

“Towards the end of the recent URC campaign I really felt I was making the contribution I wanted to on the field. It’s been a tough road but to get back doing what I love was always the target.

“Delivering Heineken Cup Champions rugby for a second season for the Ospreys