Wales could be without Gavin Henson for half the season

BBC Wales understands that the Wales and Lions centre has flown to Munich in Germany to see a specialist about the long-standing problem.

If it is decided that Henson needs an operation it is likely to put him out of action for around six months.

Henson has been struggling with the injury since last season, but had been playing with pain-killing injections.

It seems that the 23-year-old has decided to get the problem sorted out one way or the other in consulation with one of the top specialists in Europe.

If he did need the operation then at least he'd have a fighting chance to be ready for the Six Nations From PZ Have your say on Scrum V

The news will also come as a blow to Henson's Ospreys regional side, as an operation will rule him out of much of their Heineken Cup campaign and domestic season.

Both the Ospreys and the Wales management were keen to keep treating Henson in this country, which probably would have involved more anti-inflammatory injections if he was to return to action next month.

But Henson is impatient to get the problem resolved and that is why he has gone to Germany to see Dr Hans Muller-Wolfhart, a leading specialist on groin problems who has treated top athletes such as Colin Jackson.