SCARLETS: ‘I’m not even assuming it happens’: Anscombe’s doubts over the Welsh rugby cull

Gareth Anscombe has openly questioned whether Welsh rugby’s planned cut to three professional teams will happen at all, and warned the game it is still pushing its young talent too fast.

The Scarlets fly-half, who has played for both west Wales regions, was speaking as the sport waits on a restructure that threatens either the Scarlets or the Ospreys with the axe by 2028.

“There’s so much unknown, and I’m in a different position from other boys, knowing I am at the back end of my career,” he said, speaking on the BBC’s Scrum V. “I know there’s some real concern from the boys, which isn’t nice. It’s going to affect a lot of people, communities and players.”

But Anscombe, never shy of an opinion on Welsh rugby, went further, doubting the decisiveness of those running the game.

“I’m not even assuming it’s going to happen, and that’s my honest opinion,” he said. “What has happened in the last five or six years to show there’s any decisiveness or decision-making?

“We’ve been talking about this for so long, I equally wouldn’t be as surprised if we just make a decision in November that we’re going to keep all four. I might be wrong, but we shall see.”

A warning on young players

The other target of Anscombe’s candour was the rush to promote emerging talent, with Scarlets teenager Carwyn Leggatt-Jones already tipped as a future Wales star.

“The issues we’ve had in the past, particularly in Wales, are that as soon as you have a good game at URC level, there’s usually an article the next day about them making a Welsh squad,” he said.

“If you look at the top teams in the world, guys usually have to have one or two good seasons, not one or two games, to be looked at for the next level. In the recent past I feel we have been too quick to try and push guys ahead after one or two performances.”

He pointed to former Cardiff flanker Josh Navidi, who spent several seasons in the domestic game before becoming a Wales regular.

“We need consistency because Test rugby is a different beast,” he said.

“Particularly during the last five or six years, we’ve been a bit too quick to pull young guys out of regional rugby and put pressure on their shoulders when they probably haven’t been ready.

“The knock-on effect is that if we don’t get the right results, which we’ve struggled with, you dent these guys’ confidence. It takes a while to bounce back. Players want to get to the top as quickly as possible, but everyone’s got a duty of care to help extend careers and make sure they’re in a good position when they get that chance.”

Anscombe returns to action against Saracens this weekend before the Scarlets’ URC season opens at home to Cardiff on Saturday 26 September.

Author

Richard Bond

Swansea-based sports journalist.
Twitter: @RichBond00
Email: RichardBond@swanseabaynews.com