Gareth Anscombe has vowed he will get back to his best for Wales and Ospreys following news he is set to miss most of next year with his recovery from a knee injury.
The fly-half was ruled out of the Rugby World Cup in Japan last year after suffering knee ligament damage in the first warm-up match against England in August 2019.
He has yet to return for either club or country and Wales head coach Wayne Pivac confirmed this week that Anscombe would miss the majority, if not the all, of the coming season.
But the 29-year-old has since taken to Instagram to provide an update on his recovery, revealing he has completed stage one of his rehabilitation and is working hard to get back.
“14 months since the original injury,” he wrote. “Not ideal having another setback but working hard with Welsh Rugby Union and Ospreys physios and staff to get back where I was.
“Happy to say stage one is completed. Still a long way to go but taking it one step at a time.”
Speaking after announcing his squad for Wales’ autumn schedule, which includes their Championship finale against Scotland, Pivac said Anscombe’s injury was a setback for his side.
“Gareth will miss the majority if not all of this season,” said Pivac
“It is a blow because he [Anscombe] is a quality player. He was playing a lot in the number 10 jersey for Warren [Gatland] in the lead up to the World Cup.
“He had that injury which was devastating for a guy who wanted to go to a World Cup, and also for the team.
“To have him out for so long is not great, but he is working very hard and I have been talking to him today and he has been in the building here.
“We have had a few injuries at fly-half with Rhys Patchell also only playing 13 minutes of rugby since the last World Cup and are looking for the depth in that position.”
Wales will begin their revised autumn schedule with a warm-up against France in Paris before facing Scotland in their final match of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations.
Pivac’s men will then open their Autumn Nations Cup campaign against Ireland in Dublin before playing fellow Group A opponents Georgia and England – plus a play-off on finals weekend.
