Gareth Anscombe is not quite Welsh rugby’s version of Sam Burgess. He was not recruited from rugby league and he did not have international renown. But as the Six Nations looms, his national coach faces a dilemma over whether to include him in the squad for the tournament.
Anscombe, whose mother was born in Swansea, took some persuading to leave New Zealand, and Warren Gatland’s pressing need for a fly-half a year ago has been mitigated by the authority shown by Dan Biggar in the autumn. But a typically combative, penalty-loaded Welsh derby was adorned by some of the Cardiff Blues’ new recruit’s touches.
Anscombe’s long pass to his centre Corey Allen on 15 minutes led to the only try of a game which tended to be played in between the 22s. The fly-half, who joined Cardiff Blues in November, is a link player rather than a destroyer of defences but he tends to see what is on earlier than his new colleagues.
The derby was not an advert for the Pro12 but a reflection of the mediocrity of Welsh regional rugby where financial constraints have led to a glut of journeymen. The first half was a mess of collapsed scrums, aimless kicking, misdirected passing and handling errors, lightened only by a few moments of inspiration from Anscombe.
“Gareth can spark a backline, whether running or passing, and he controlled the game well,” said the Blues’ director of rugby, Mark Hammett. “It was only his fourth match and he is still learning about his team-mates, the calibre we have and how he can direct things. He would add certain things to Wales, but that is Warren’s call to wrestle with.”
The Blues had lost to the Dragons at the Arms Park on Boxing Day and conceding the double would have dropped them below their rivals in the league to become the lowest placed of the four regions. Anscombe missed a penalty and a conversion, but his smartly taken drop goal in the first half contrasted with the Dragons ignoring two glaring opportunities to collect three points in what always threatened to be a low-scoring match.
“I am starting to find my feet here,” said the 23-year-old Anscombe. “It is a bit colder at training than I am used to, but I am enjoying it. I have no idea what will happen with Wales: they have two good outside-halves and competition is good for Welsh rugby. I just have to keep working hard and see where I end up.”
He ended up on the winning side having been involved in his side’s three scores, but the Blues should not have been hanging on in the final minutes, grateful that a penalty decision at a scrum five metres from their line had gone their way having been blown at the set-piece nine times previously. They are the most indisciplined side in the Pro12 and reached their average of 13 penalties conceded on the hour.
They were so uncomfortable up front in the opening half that they replaced their tighthead prop Taufa’ao Filise at half-time but his replacement, Adam Jones, was quickly pulling at his long hair in frustration. “They should have had a yellow card for what was happening at the scrum,” said the Dragons’ director of rugby, Lyn Jones. “Sam Warburton would have been in the sin-bin if he had been penalised at four rucks.”
Lyn Jones’s frustration as his side’s four-match winning run ended was understandable, but the Dragons did not do enough with the ball in hand to merit victory. The wing Matthew Pewtner, who was at fault in the Blues’ try for rushing out of the defensive line, had a try disallowed in the second half because of blocking by his captain, Rynard Landman, but the Blues were one pass from at least three more tries, Gavin Evans, Richard Smith and Tavis Knoyle going for the line and ignoring unmarked players outside them.
The Dragons twice led but for the most part had to chase the game and they were ill-equipped to do so.
“It was a proper derby,” said Warburton, who missed the Boxing Day defeat. “I prefer these matches to Europe: the atmosphere makes them great to play in. We were determined not to concede the double and that meant stepping it up, which we did. Gareth made a difference. He has fitted in well and we have to build on this.”
Newport Gwent Dragons Prydie; Pewtner, Morgan, Dixon, Amos; Tovey (Jones, 65), Rees (Evans, 48); Price, Dee, Harris (Way, 68), Coombs (Hill, 68), Landman (capt), Thomas, Cudd, Faletau.
Pens Prydie 3.
Cardiff Blues Tuculet; Smith, Allen, Evans, Amorosino; Anscombe, Knoyle; Jenkins (capt; Hobbs, 70), Dacey (Rees, 55), Filise (A Jones, ht), Hoeata (Cook, 55), Paulo, Turnbull (Vosawai, 55), Warburton, Navidi.
Try Allen. Drop Anscombe. Pen Anscombe.
Referee I Davies
Attendance 8,486
