Rugby: Gareth Anscombe seeks happy homecoming

Gareth Anscombe. Photo / Getty

Gareth Anscombe tomorrow night returns to a ground he loves and on which he might have carved a reputation with the Blues as their long-term pivot.

But the 26-year-old is now plying his trade for another Blues - the Cardiff Blues - and will be turning out in his 10th international for his mother's native Wales. He finds himself, by circumstance, as the seventh most experienced Wales player in their starting XV against Tonga.

"It's nice to be back. Eden Park was my home ground for a long time. It's a stadium I love playing in and it's pretty exciting being back in the starting XV for Wales," he says. He will wear the No 15 jersey, while Sam Davies of Ospreys takes the No 10 slot.

His time in New Zealand rugby had its ups - 572 points in 41 games for Auckland from 2010-14 and the 2013 Super Rugby title with the Chiefs, along with Junior World Championship glory in 2011 - and downs. Being delisted by the Blues franchise after the 2012 season would rank highly in the downs, as it were. It was, frankly, a shameful episode, and five years later, the Blues' search for a long-term, reliable and quality No 10 continues. But the Chiefs appreciated his pace and goalkicking and he finished with 37 Super Rugby games to his name over three seasons at that level.

"What happened with the Blues was a little bit unfortunate. That wasn't nice, but that gave me the opportunity to go to the Chiefs and I really enjoyed my time there. I played a bit at fullback and we won the title. It was a good fit at the time. But I was happy to come over here and have a crack," Anscombe says.

He plies his trade in the PRO12 but is rated behind Dan Biggar in a land where good No 10s tend to be revered. He has, however, leapfrogged the likes of James Hook and possibly Rhys Priestland, who won plaudits for his RWC 2011 play.

"They are well aware that my preference is at No 10, but any opportunity to start in test rugby is always hugely exciting. It's about doing what's best for the team. That means we can play two decision-makers and distributors on Friday night. This is a young Wales side but the potential is there."

Anscombe will cop the underdog tag against Tonga, if he has to, though competitive men such as Jamie Roberts, Scott Williams and Alex Cuthbert might bristle that a side that has never beaten Wales will go in as favourites.

"Potentially we are slight underdogs, with all the changes we've had. But they are a big, ball-running team and, dependent on conditions, we know they look to use the ball and offload. I'm sure it'll be a fast-paced game. We need to limit the opportunities we give them in open space," he says.

His future for the next two years is sorted having signed a two-year dual contract with the WRU and Cardiff Blues. His father Mark Anscombe, the Canada coach and the man who first picked him for Auckland, would have been pleased. The two are in regular contact.

Anscombe junior has a word of warning for New Zealand fans who think the Lions, coached by the man who first picked him for Wales, are heading for a heavy test series blackwash.

"They might be on a hiding to nothing with their schedule, so you feel for them. It will take a while to get the combinations, but I can guarantee they'll be a better side when they face the All Blacks and it might be a lot closer than everyone thinks. At the end of the day, they only need to win two games to have a successful tour."

He was understandably quick to defend his Cardiff Blues colleague, Lions captain Sam Warburton.

"Sam's a top man. He always puts the team first. He's proven himself before in big games and he comes alive in big games, like in the Six Nations. If he can stay injury-free, because he tends to carry a few dings, he will add to the Lions in the test series."