By Sportin Wales Co-Founder Gareth Anscombe

With preseason over, I’m raring to go and get stuck into the season with Gloucester.

My return has been a little bit more managed than others, because I had so much time off due to the abductor injury. I’ve had a bit of a delayed started but after some preseason runouts, I feel ready.

We had eight weeks together as a group before the first preseason match against Munster, and it’s flown by. This preseason has felt a little different to others, more condensed. Probably on the back of the World Cup this time last year and a longer season with summer tours.

The time has gone quickly, though, and it’s been tough but so enjoyable to get to know a new group of boys. We’ve had a proper old-school dynamic with regards to training: working hard for each other, getting through some tough sessions.

I’m not the only new kid at Gloucester, my old Wales and Cardiff teammate Tomos Williams has joined, along with Christian Wade and Alfie Petch. The boys have been top notch and very welcoming. It’s taken some time to adjust to some things, but having Tomos has helped.

Coming into a new team with a guy who I’ve played a fair bit of rugby with, it helps that we know our games really well. Especially being in a halfback partnership, I think we can bring a bit of leadership and experience to the team.

Initiations and ‘Not Looking Too Far Ahead’

We’ve had some initiations to get through as well of course! I sang Rock DJ by Robbie Williams on the bus. I wouldn’t say my rendition brought the house down, but I got through it in the end…

For me, the start of the season is a great chance to prove my fitness. We’ve been slowly building up my kicking reps in these last few weeks of preseason, which is the last thing to tick off before getting back to full fitness.

It’s taken a fair bit of time to adjust to training and the usual demands of sprinting, changing direction and then adding the extra kicking load that fly-halves need to have.

In the past, I think I’ve been guilty of looking too far ahead and letting injuries catch up with me. Now, it’s really simple: I’m just looking forward to playing and getting out at Kingsholm. Whatever happens after that will happen.

If I can get a consistent run of games and put some good performances in, then maybe I’ll get a Wales recall, but the focus right now is 100% on Gloucester.

‘Our Main Focus is the Premiership’

After a difficult season last year, everyone at Kingsholm is pretty determined to have a successful one this season. The league is our focus after a couple of good cup runs last year.

We’re not going to write Europe off, of course. Last season’s defeat to a strong Sharks side in the final was a tough one and the boys feel like they can one better this time around.

This first block of six Premiership games is our main focus though. The difference this year will be to have that consistency and ability to put in a big performance when required. The best teams in the league last year were able to do that, and that is what we are aiming for.

Getting back to consistently winning at home, at Kingsholm, is another big target for us. The fans boost our game massively and we need to create an atmosphere that visitors don’t like playing in.

If we can do that, we will have set ourselves up for a positive season.

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