Henson ban reduced on appeal

On Tuesday the centre, 23, had his ban for elbowing an opponent reduced by three weeks by an appeals panel.

However, Henson will still miss Tests against England and Scotland.

"The weekend after his ban ends the Ospreys are due to play the Borders, so Gavin has a chance to put himself in contention," Ruddock said.

Henson had been banned until 5 March for elbowing Leicester prop Alejandro Moreno in a Heineken Cup match.

But his Ospreys side successfully argued at an appeal hearing in Dublin that the European Cup Rugby ban was excessive.

I feel the Ospreys did the right thing Wales coach Mike Ruddock

In two recent cases, France captain Fabien Pelous was banned for nine weeks for elbowing Australia's Brendan Cannon, while South Africa skipper Jon Smit got a six-week ban for striking France's Jerome Thion.

"I felt that it (the elbow on Moreno) was probably a six-week ban initially," Ruddock added.

"The appeal was worthwhile as there were inconsistencies in the different lengths of ban for use of the elbow.

"I'm certainly not condoning foul play - Gavin knows that and everyone in the Wales squad knows you have to be disciplined at the top level.

I am growing more and more dissatisfied with the notion of giving players lengthy bans From RM Have your say on Scrum V

"But the reality was that in other incidents where the elbow has been used the bans were shorter, so I feel the Ospreys did the right thing."

Henson's ban will now run until 12 February inclusive, ruling him out of the match against Scotland that day.

However, he will be free to play in Wales' last three Six Nations matches if selected.

Ruddock is already short at centre for the Six Nations because of Tom Shanklin's knee injury.

So the indication is that a good showing against the Borders in Swansea on 17 February will see Henson immediately recalled to the Wales squad for that Dublin showdown on 26 February.