Gareth Anscombe is set to make his Test debut for the land of his mother three months after leaving New Zealand for Wales and after being named in a squad of 34 for the Six Nations. But for two players with more than 170 caps between them, Adam Jones and James Hook, the international door has been shut, if not yet locked.
The 23-year old Anscombe, who in November joined Cardiff Blues from the Chiefs in Waikato, will vie for the fly-half jersey with Dan Biggar and Rhys Priestland while also offering the versatility that kept Hook in the squad after he ceased to be a contender for the starting lineup, having ended his playing days in New Zealand at full-back. The challenge of Leicester’s Owen Williams ended when he was left out of the side that beat the Scarlets in the European Champions Cup last week.
Gatland met Anscombe at the end of 2012 and sought the advice of Wayne Smith, the former New Zealand coach who is with the Chiefs, before recommending that the Blues sign the New Zealand Under-20 international, who had failed in his ambition to make the All Blacks’ squad.
“Gareth is a mentally tough, impressive player and as well as depth at 10 we have players who offer something different,” Gatland said. “After I first talked to him he went back to New Zealand to try and fulfil his aspiration of becoming an All Black and he decided his best opportunity of playing international rugby was to come to the Blues and make himself available for Wales. When he is recommended by Wayne Smith, you have to take notice.”
Anscombe, one of four uncapped players in the squad for a campaign that starts with their World Cup group rivals England at the Millennium Stadium, has replaced the 77-cap Hook, who was originally left out of the squad for last autumn’s internationals before being recalled, while the tighthead prop Jones, a veteran of three grand slam campaigns and five Lions Tests, was overlooked for a player who is third choice at the Blues, Scott Andrews.
Samson Lee, who has not played this month because of a neck injury, is expected to be fit to face England. With the back-up tighthead Rhodri Jones injured, Gatland considered the Exeter prop Tom Francis but ruled him out because of a back injury.
“Samson is our No1 tighthead and if he had been injured we would probably have picked Adam,” said Gatland. “There was a long debate about picking him anyway because he has been working hard but he is not the sort of player you pick on the bench and ask to make an impact. He is someone to start a match and what we are looking to do by including Scott is develop our strength in depth in the position. Adam still has a big chance of being named in our larger squad in the summer to prepare for the World Cup.”
While England, partly because of injuries, go into the Six Nations without a settled side, Wales have an established line-up: 12 of the regular starters in the 2012 grand slam remain in the squad and the main question for Gatland is whether to break up his established back three of Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, who has turned down the offer of a dual contract, and George North, to reward the form of Liam Williams with the Scarlets.
“We are lucky in terms of we know where our selection is while England are still debating which way they are going, particularly at 10 and midfield, and that will determine the type of game they play at the World Cup,” Gatland said.
“They are not 100% sure because they have so much strength in depth; it’s whether they play a nine- or ten-man game, or more expansively. I am interested to see if they want the roof open or closed because the atmosphere was pretty electric last time and they may try to dampen that down. I hope they do want to close it and are prepared to accept the challenge.
“I don’t think the result against England will have a reflection on the World Cup. The team that wins it will probably go in thinking they are on the right path and it sometimes gives the side that loses the chance to change direction and work on a few other things. The winners of the last two World Cups were not the Tri-Nations champions. It would be nice to get the win, but for coaches it is about not showing your hand completely.”
Wales squad for Six Nations
Forwards G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), P James (Bath), R Evans (Scarlets), A Jarvis (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), R Hibbard (Gloucester), K Dacey (Cardiff Blues), S Baldwin, AW Jones (both Ospreys), J Ball (Scarlets), B Davies (Wasps), L Charteris (Racing Métro), D Lydiate, J King (both Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), J Tipuric (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Backs M Phillips (Racing Métro), R Webb (Ospreys), G Davies (Scarlets), D Biggar (Ospreys), R Priestland (Scarlets), G Anscombe, C Allen (both Cardiff Blues), J Roberts (Racing Métro), J Davies (Clermont Auvergne), S Williams (Scarlets), T Morgan, H Amos (both Newport Gwent Dragons), A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), G North (Northampton Saints), L Williams (Scarlets), L Halfpenny (Toulon).
