Anscombe leaves Bayonne after injury-hit season leaves Wales fly-half at career crossroads

Gareth Anscombe is leaving Bayonne after just one season in the Top 14, with the Wales fly-half admitting his move to France “didn’t turn out the way I’d imagined” following a campaign blighted by injuries and off-field instability.

The 35-year-old joined the Basque club ahead of the 2024/25 season from Gloucester, but a calf injury, a serious shin wound sustained against Toulouse, and significant coaching upheaval at Bayonne combined to limit his contribution on the field. Despite those setbacks, Anscombe has made clear he is not ready to retire.

“When we made the move to France, it was with genuine excitement and big hopes for what was ahead,” the New Zealand-born playmaker wrote in a column for Sportin Wales. “The reality is that, from a rugby perspective, it didn’t turn out the way I’d imagined. That’s hard to accept because I came here wanting to contribute, perform, and help create something special on the field.”

Anscombe was candid about the emotional complexity of the season, acknowledging that the personal rewards of life in the Basque Country offered some consolation for the professional disappointment.

“Bayonne, in particular, has left a lasting mark on us,” he wrote in an Instagram post this week. “The people, the passion, the culture, and the sense of community made us feel at home from the moment we arrived. It’s a place and a chapter of our lives that we’ll always look back on fondly.”

The former Ospreys, Cardiff and Chiefs fly-half, who has earned 42 caps for Wales, is now weighing his options ahead of what he hopes will be at least one more season of professional rugby.

“I still feel there’s more to give,” he said. “I’m as motivated as ever to play one more season but after playing this game for so long I know you can never look too far ahead. So for now we will wait and see.”

At 35, Anscombe’s next destination remains unclear, but his determination to continue playing means a return to the Premiership, the URC, or another stint abroad cannot be ruled out.