Gareth Anscombe has paid tribute to Dan Biggar as the two Wales No.10s go their separate ways next season.
Arsene Wenger’s farewell at Old Trafford was not the only meeting of old foes turned friends at the weekend.
While the Arsenal manager shook hands and smiled with Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson for one last time, Anscombe and Biggar did the same at the Principality Stadium at the end of Judgement Day.
Biggar had the last word as his drop goal helped the Ospreys beat Cardiff Blues 26-23. Now the Lions tourist is off to join Northampton, while Anscombe – who appears closer to unseating his rival to become Wales’ first choice than at any time since arriving from New Zealand four years ago – is heading towards a European Challenge Cup final with the Blues.
Anscombe said: “Dan has been one hell of a servant to Welsh rugby and to Ospreys. He’s one hell of a competitor and he’s been the number one No. 10 in Wales for a while.
“It’s always nice to compare yourself and get a chance to compete. He deserves a big send off from Ospreys because he’s done a hell of a lot in that black jersey and he’s a good guy, too.
“It’s funny when you spend eight or nine weeks together as mates, then you have to cross the whitewash and run in to each other for 80 minutes.
“He’s been a great servant to Welsh rugby and it’s nice to get some game time against him as well.”
With his Guinness Pro14 season over, Anscombe is relishing the chance to star for Blues in their European clash with Gloucester a week on Friday in Bilbao.
“It would be great to end the season with silverware, the club has gone through a tough patch over the past three to four years, certainly since I’ve arrived.
“We’ve had a lot of coaches coming and going and I guess some background noise, but this group has stuck tight and gelled and it’s really starting to show now.
“Even with the performance against the Ospreys, with a team that most of the media probably would have written off, we showed we were more than capable of winning that game.
“We’ve grown nicely in the last 18 months. Gloucester are a strong side and it’s going to be a tremendous occasion, but this group can be excited and feel we can give it a good crack.
“We were disappointed not to win the game against the Ospreys, but we showed a lot of attitude and character in the second half.
“Our young boys stood up and put in some big shifts and it was nice from a personal point of view to get a try on Judgement Day as they have been few and far between this season.”
After his European date, Anscombe is set tour with Wales this summer with Tests against South Africa in Washington and two clashes with Argentina in June.
The former Chiefs man would prefer to be used at fly-half at international level, but may yet be called upon to do another job at full-back.
“The selectors know where I’d like to play, but in international rugby any time you get the opportunity to pull on the red jersey you have to take it,” he added.
“I think my skill set suits more at No 10, but at the same time I think I have the ability to do a job at No 15 and it’s a role I also enjoy, so it’s not like I’m going to put myself in a pigeon hole and say I can play only one position.
“After a few discussions in the Six Nations with the people who matter I think they know where I’d like to play and I’ve had some feedback, too.
“I thought the Six Nations was pretty positive from a personal point of view. I had a few more minutes than I’d had previously. I feel I’m building nicely and I just need to keep working hard.
“But as long as I’m involved, I’m pretty happy and we have a pretty special occasion with the Blues coming up.”