Gareth Anscombe says the chance to play Test rugby again was “a big motivator” for him as he recovered from a second major injury.

The Gloucester fly-half looks likely to be involved when Wales kick off their Autumn Nations Series campaign against Fiji on Sunday.

Anscombe saw three years of his career wiped out after a knee injury sidelined him from 2019 to 2021, before a groin problem suffered at the 2023 World Cup saw him skipped 12 additional months in the international wilderness.

The groin problem, which occurred just an hour before kick-off in Wales’ group match against Georgia, also ended his hopes of playing for Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath, who canceled the Anscombe inscription.

Such setbacks would have ended many players, but Anscombe’s resilience has helped support a return to the Wales squad for an autumn program which also includes dates with Australia and the ‘South Africa.

And the 33-year-old’s experience – he made his Test debut nine years ago – will be vital in a Wales squad which has 17 players with single-digit caps.

“It was a big factor for me to come back (with Wales),” Anscombe told the PA news agency.

“Even though I still play rugby, I feel like I can contribute something at this level. I’m still very competitive, and it’s definitely that competitive nature that kept me coming back here.

“I always feel like when I’m playing my best rugby I can play really well at that level and help lead this team, especially when you look around and realize how much changes that have occurred over the past 18 months.”

Wales have won a Test match since 37-times capped Anscombe last appeared, and a defeat against Fiji would equate to an all-time low of 10 successive defeats recorded in 2002 and 2003.

“I think there’s a lot of talent here, without a doubt,” Anscombe added.

“I discovered at this level that when you can have a little bit of momentum and a sense of confidence, it’s amazing how far you can go.

“It’s tough when you have close losses – it kind of eats away at you – but I think if we can improve things further over the next few weeks, we’ll definitely be able to get a few wins.

“We talked about it as a group about not just putting in a decent performance that brings us together.

“It’s time we put our hands up and say we need to win some Tests, and I think this group is starting to understand that.”

If, as expected, Anscombe returns on Sunday, it will be a testament to his mental and physical recovery abilities.

And he still has plenty to offer at the highest level, his experience being crucial in a team currently poor in caps and mileage on the clock.

“The nature of the injuries I suffered are quite significant,” Anscombe said.

“I’ve always had to work really hard to get physically to where I need to be. I hope that by playing week after week and staying injury-free, I can get my strength back.

“If you want to keep playing, you have to find a way back. I learned that I need to be really smart and diligent during my week.

“You can’t just train for the sake of it, you need to make sure you’re getting real quality rather than quantity. I probably learned this in the last six months.

Anscombe and his family are now based in Cheltenham, and life is good as part of a Gloucester set-up where the emphasis is on attacking and trying rugby.

“I really enjoyed playing most of the games and getting some minutes, and hopefully in the next block of games I can start to build a really consistent run of performances,” he said .

“I really enjoyed it. It was a pretty refreshing decision for me and my family, especially after going another season without playing rugby.

“I’ve always wanted to test myself in the Premiership, and the support we get is incredible at Kingsholm. It’s a privilege to be part of it.