The Bayonne star says he is ‘sick’ of the mess in Welsh rugby.
Gareth Anscombe is playing Top 14 rugby this season. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe has slammed Welsh Rugby Union bosses and says players should have gone on strike in 2023.
After a stint in PREM Rugby with Gloucester, he has signed for Bayonne ahead of the upcoming campaign. With his new chapter under way in the south of France, the talismanic number 10 decided to speak frankly about the current state of Welsh rugby, and openly criticised the WRU’s plan to cut the number of regions to two in recent weeks.
However, in an interview with MailOnline, Anscombe has been far more scathing with his assessment of the game in Wales, and has laid into the organisation’s bosses, suggesting they have a holier-than-thou attitude towards players.
Anscombe begins by stating that if the WRU decide to go down to two professional teams, then the game may never recover in Wales. After emphasising his thoughts on the proposal, he explained that he now feels a little exhausted by it all, saying: “I’m sick of it.”
He added that doesn’t want to push back against it or continue fighting it anymore, saying he’s happy to put some distance between himself and what’s going on over here.
More than two years ago Wales players considered going on strike for the biggest game in their Six Nations tournament against England.
With uncertainty over their futures, players threatened strike action – something which would’ve had catastrophic financial repercussions on the Union.
A compromise was reached – the 60-cap rule was reduced to 25, and contract structures were modified. However, player demands were not completely satisfied, and the game went ahead.
Anscombe says they should have gone through with it and “dug their heels in”.
“In 2023, the boys should have gone through with the strike threat,” explained Anscombe to MailOnline.
“One million per cent it should have happened because look at the mess we’re in now. The frustrating thing for me is we’ve had people in power who come across like they know everything.
“Look at the trouble they’ve put the game in. They’ve been sacked or had their payouts and walked away. But at the time, they tried to make us players feel like idiots.
“Many of those players are still in the thick of it all now. It’s so easy for those guys at the top to come across like they’re above us as players.”
Anscombe describes the decisions made by the Union as “horrible” and identified the poor decision-making as the reason for the brutal downfall of the game in Wales.
The Test match veteran proceeded to use the WRU’s Parkgate Hotel and zipwire attraction as an example of their poor decision-making and leadership, with a dying focus on what really matters – the rugby.
Anscombe added that he’s not sure he will add to his 46 caps, and revealed he has not yet spoken to Steve Tandy.