Nick Cain: Gareth Anscombe approach proves Warren Gatland’s faith is dwindling

The news that 22-year-old New Zealand fly-half Gareth Anscombe is being lined up to play for Wales by Warren Gatland comes as no surprise. With many of his key players either with French Top 14 clubs, or about to join them, the Wales head coach knows that he may have to cut corners if his team are to make an impression in the knock-out stages of the 2015 World Cup.
Anscombe is a former New Zealand U20 fly-half who is playing for the Chiefs, and is enjoying a successful run for the reigning Super 15 champions with Aaron Cruden currently out with an injury.
The Welsh carrot is being dangled in front of Anscombe, whose father Mark is Ulster‘s coach, on three counts. The first, and in terms of pragmatism the most important, is that his mother is Welsh and therefore he is eligible to play for the country immediately rather than serve a three year residency period.
The second is that there is a long queue of talented No.10s in line for the All Black shirt ahead of him, with Dan Carter, Beauden Barrett, Cruden and Colin Slade blocking his way before the World Cup.
The third reason is the unavoidable conclusion, should Anscombe opt for his motherland, and a contract with the (Cardiff) Blues, is that Gatland’s faith in the tried and tested Welsh fly-half contenders – Rhys Priestland, Dan Biggar or James Hook – is dwindling.
The suggestion that Gatland is ready to shake up his backline and turn to a fellow Kiwi to take over the pivotal decision-making role has ruffled feathers.
Paul Turner, the former Dragons head coach, and a former Wales fly-half himself, says that it is a wrong turn. “Why have Wales of all nations got to look for a foreign fly-half? Anscombe is okay, but he’s no different to Rhys Priestland. He’s a good percentage goal-kicker, but why are we contemplating picking up a fifth choice New Zealand fly-half?”
Turner argues that there are plenty of home-grown options: “Jordan Williams, who is playing at full-back or wing for the Scarlets, is, for me, the best fly-half in Wales. Biggar is not a typical Welsh fly-half, but he is pretty good at playing a territorial game. Then there’s Matthew Morgan, also at the Ospreys. He is deemed too small, but as a playmaker he’s superb.”
Gatland’s guile as a selector has been proven on multiple occasions, and he will have done his homework on Anscombe thoroughly. However, should Anscombe be signed on a joint Wales and Cardiff Blues ticket, it is a big gamble with just 17 months to go before the tournament starts.