Gavin Henson: I want to return to the Ospreys after the World Cup

GAVIN HENSON has revealed he wants to return to the Ospreys following the World Cup in New Zealand.

As Wales get ready to face England today in the first of their three World Cup warm-up games, the controversial Henson confessed:

n How the Wales management tried to ‘break’ the players during their gruelling training camp in Poland;

n Wales have a horrible World Cup group, but says they can surprise everyone;


n His desire to return to the Ospreys after the World Cup;

n All about the beach punch-up which led to his exit from French giants Toulon.

In a statement which is likely to shock Ospreys supporters, Henson says he wants to go back the club he walked out on in October last year after an 18-month sabbatical, despite his acrimonious departure from the Liberty Stadium.

Henson left the club where he spent six years under a cloud after a drawn-out contract wrangle with the Ospreys over whether he could leave for free.

But now the 29-year-old centre wants to return to Scott Johnson’s side and hopes something can be sorted out soon.

He said: “I want to come back to Wales because of my kids.

“I’m just waiting to see what happens with the Welsh rugby, how I get on and whether I go to the World Cup or not.

“As soon as that comes to an end, whether that’s soon or after the World Cup, I will get employment.

“Hopefully that will be the Ospreys if they will have me back, but I will have to wait and see.”

Henson was not selected for today’s England clash at Twickenham, but Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards has already hinted he will be involved in the Cardiff return next weekend.

He played his first match for Wales in two years against the Barbarians in June, but showed little to suggest he is ready to push for a starting place.

Despite his self-imposed exile, Henson says he is desperate to go to New Zealand next month.

“I haven’t been to a World Cup. It will be a huge thing if I manage to get on it and I want to get on it so badly,” he said.

“After being out of the game and watching the Welsh team I can see the talent is there, the youngsters coming through are unbelievable.

“I am actually spending time with these guys now and seeing them day-to-day, they are special.

“Young, a little bit naive you know, haven’t quite got the game experience yet, but unbelievable athletes, unbelievable – and with the right mix of experience in these youngsters I think Wales have an incredible chance.

“We have a horrible group, it’s a tough group. We’ve got the two island teams – Samoa and Fiji – and South Africa.

“We haven’t got a good record against Samoa and Fiji so we are in a hell of a group.

“But I think if we pull that off then I think we can really cause a surprise and that’s why I want to be part of it. I don’t want to miss out on that.”

Henson was part of Gatland’s 39-man training squad in Poland, although he was controversially allowed to leave the camp briefly to continue filming a reality television show.

He said the gruelling three-session-a-day schedule and use of extreme temperature cryotherapy chambers were designed to weed out the “weak” members of the preliminary training squad.

“I had a 10-day training camp – a training camp from hell,” Henson told Blokely magazine.

“This is part of our World Cup warm-up. There are 45 guys, but they have got to cut the squad down to 30 and it was tough.

“They tried to break us, you know they want to see who is weak and then it just makes it easier for them on selection.

“If someone breaks, if someone is weak, if someone is not hitting the targets, then you are out of there.

“There was a few of us that were close to breaking because we also had to do the cryo chambers.

“It is a little room with five guys at a time, -160 degrees, -160 degrees with just shorts on and a little headband to cover your ears.

“You are in there for only four minutes, but at -160 degrees any longer and you would die.”

Henson also admitted that his rugby instincts are not what they were during his peak when he won two Grand Slams in 2005 and 2008, but he insists he can still perform at the highest level.

He is currently without a club after an unsuccessful spell with Saracens followed by his controversial time in France with Toulon.

Henson was suspended for two weeks and then released after a reported bust-up with a team-mate after an all-day drinking session.

“It probably wasn’t a great decision going to Saracens. I don’t want to be a part-time player,” he said.

“So I didn’t like the feel of it there and then suddenly I had an opportunity to go to Toulon.

“They wanted me for the following season, but I just said to my agent, ‘Oh look, there is an opportunity now, I’d rather get down there.’

“Everything was brilliant, I was playing really well. I had two wins out of two and the boss and the coaches were so pleased and happy with us that we beat Toulouse.

“We stopped off in a bar. We had been on all-dayer so when we got there they were already pretty drunk and we mixed in well with them. We were having a good time, doing a bit of dancing.

“We were having a good time and then just one of the players, a clash of personalities you know. I don’t really want to go into the ins and outs of it, but (the player) claimed I said something which I didn’t.

“It wasn’t Jonny (Wilkinson) He wasn’t even out. It was nothing to do with Jonny Wilkinson.

“No, it was plain that this individual thought I’d said something about Joe Van Niekerk.

“Me and Joe Van Niekerk, from day one, since I had been there, he was my closest friend at the club.

“We didn’t do it in public. We went down the beach, we went down there together and we sorted it out man to man and that was the end of that really.

“Then, you know, I didn’t really have a problem with it, I didn’t think he would.

“I thought normally these things go on every week in every rugby club.

“There is always a clash of personalities and you sort it out, whether it is on a training field or whether it is out and about and it wasn’t done in public.

“It was done on a beach, but no-one was around, man to man, done and I thought it was done and dusted.

“We carried on the night. We both went our separate ways, but carried on and still had a good night.

“But then it obviously got back to the club and the press managed to get hold of it – and you know what the press are like.

“They blew it out of all proportion and then suddenly it was an issue for the club to deal with.”

Henson has appeared in several television shows over the last two years including Strictly Come Dancing, 71 Degree North and, more recently, The Bachelor.

Despite his high-profile celebrity lifestyle, he insists he remains committed to getting his rugby career back on track.

He added: “I’m definitely a sportsman or I like to think that I am a sportsman.

“Rugby is everything to me.”

The full interview can be read in Blokely, www.blokely.com

Who actually really gives a phhok? Other than the morons who would say yes to this possible move? I lose all respect for a man, who continually uses his kids as a mental and professional excuse, to suit his purposes. No class. No soul. No intelligence. He is a mis-spent force. So maybe the O's suits him. Dunno. Its up to them to categorically say NO.

unless he's going to the Ospreys to be a mascot / waterboy / t-carrier / shoe shiner, then I see no place for him

Gibson wrote:Who actually really gives a phhok? Other than the morons who would say yes to this possible move? I lose all respect for a man, who continually uses his kids as a mental and professional excuse, to suit his purposes. No class. No soul. No intelligence. He is a mis-spent force. So maybe the O's suits him. Dunno. Its up to them to categorically say NO.

Mate, I wish the O's would just release a statement and say you've burned your bridges. They should really. I would be surprised if many (or any) Ospreys supporters want him back too.

interesting his take on the Toulon incident. totally different to what the club and some of the players suggested happened.

Alternatively we could have a word with Mr Glyndwr and his mates and they could burn both bridges and then he can't come back

Agree Henson should not return to Ospreys. But there is something tragic with this guy. All the talent in the world, and he just can't seem to get out of his own way. And there are kids in the mix, not just as excuses for where he plays. And that is sad too.

Firstly I am a Henson fan. If he could rediscover his previous form I would gladly have him back. That said I don't think that is going to happen in the next season let alone before this world cup. So no I wouldn't want him next season, but Cuddy loves him, and have already stated he would have him back. Will be interesting to see

I think all bar one Region could do with him to be honest.

If (and yeah, a major if) he does regain any sort of his undoubted talent he'd be a major asset.

I would strongly suggest a particularly rigurous contract full of clauses for him though.

Hey I would take him at the Dragons. Would be interested to see what Tovey and Henson at 10/12 could do. Will never happen. I would expect the Blues to come in for him and continue their monopoly on Welsh Centres.

I actually think people need to get off the blokes case. He's just trying to earn a living like the rest of us. Maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed.
That said we just lost some top draw names to the French leagues and providing it stays about his rugby I think Henson would be a positive signing for any of the Regions. Its not like we are gifted with good inside centres anyway.