Gareth Anscombe has found a new home at the Scarlets, looking to reignite a career that stalled badly in France last season.

The fly-half managed just five appearances for Bayonne in the Top 14 — France's top domestic rugby union competition — after injury restricted him to a bit-part role across the Channel (BBC Sport). Now back in Wales, he has told BBC Sport he still has "a huge desire to compete and contribute on the field."

Anscombe's journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. He started his rugby career in New Zealand, the country of his birth, before crossing the world to join Cardiff in 2014. A year later he made his Wales debut, qualifying through his Welsh mother, and went on to win 42 caps for his adopted nation. His most recent international appearance came against England in the 2025 Six Nations.

Between Cardiff and his move to Bayonne, Anscombe spent four seasons at the Ospreys from 2019, followed by a stint at Gloucester. That well-travelled CV — Cardiff, Ospreys, Gloucester, Bayonne and now the Scarlets — reflects a player who has rarely stayed still.

The Scarlets, based in Llanelli, finished 14th in the United Rugby Championship last season, ahead of only the Dragons and Zebre. The URC is the cross-border league that features teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and South Africa. Finishing second from bottom among the Welsh regions was a bleak return, and the recruitment drive that followed reflects a clear hunger to rebuild.

Anscombe is not the only new face walking through the door at Parc y Scarlets. Wales prop Corey Domachowski has signed for the coming campaign, along with Cullen Grace, a once-capped New Zealand forward who brings southern-hemisphere experience to the pack. Three locks — Harvey Cuckson, Alex Groves and Tom Allen — have joined to bolster the engine room (the tight five forwards who do the heavy lifting in the scrum and lineout), while hookers John McKee and George Roberts add depth at the position. Full-back Isaac Murray-Macgregor rounds out the incoming group.

For Anscombe, the move represents a chance to prove his body can still hold up to the weekly grind of professional rugby. Five appearances in a season is a thin return for a player who has operated at Test level for a decade. The Scarlets, for their part, are getting a fly-half with 42 caps and a proven temperament for the international arena — if he can stay on the pitch.

The fit works both ways. A club near the foot of the table needs quality and direction, and a 30-something fly-half hungry to contribute needs a stage. Whether Anscombe can stay fit, and whether the Scarlets' rebuilt squad can climb the URC standings, are the two questions that will define this partnership when the new season kicks off.