 Henson's unpaid, indefinite leave casts further doubt on his future |
Wales and British and Irish Lions centre Gavin Henson is on unpaid, indefinite leave from the Ospreys, BBC Sport Wales understands. The news casts more doubt on Henson's future following recent reports and denials that he is close to retiring. An Ospreys spokesman said: "The Ospreys' position and Gavin's position has already been made crystal clear and there is nothing further to add. "There will be no further comment until Gavin returns to action." Reports that Henson's recurring injury problems had prompted him to seriously consider quitting surfaced in July.  | 606: DEBATE |
His lack of match fitness saw him overlooked for the British and Irish Lions' tour of South Africa, having been selected four years earlier for the series in New Zealand. Henson's latest injury - an ankle problem - flared up during his side's EDF Energy Cup semi-final defeat by Gloucester in March. He has not played since and Ospreys bosses Andrew Hore and Scott Johnson have stated they would give the 27-year-old as much time as he needed to recover from his injury problems. Henson rose to fame in 2005 after his booming, long-range penalty brought Wales an 11-9 win over England that paved the way for the nation's Grand Slam that year. His relationship with celebrity partner Charlotte Church began during Wales' 2005 winning streak, catapulting from Welsh sports star to tabloid headline-maker. While his off-field fame continues, Henson's rugby stock has slipped amid runs of poor form and injuries. In an interview preceding the news that Henson is on unpaid leave, Ospreys head coach Sean Holley spoke to BBC Sport Wales' The Back Page. | He [Henson] hasn't been 100% [fit], probably since around 2005 when he was hitting his peak |
Holley was asked what Henson was up to and why he is not currently with the Ospreys. He replied: "If I'm honest, I really don't know. Gav's had some serious setbacks in the last couple of years. "He hasn't been 100%, probably since around 2005 when he was hitting his peak so I think he's been given some indefinite leave to sort himself out. "He's got an Achilles and a foot injury and he's still suffering from some of his groin issues so he's not right. "As I say, he needs to sort himself out, but in the meantime we've still got a lot of other players in the squad to concentrate on so we're moving on and when Gav's ready he'll come back, I would imagine." Holley said the Ospreys must concentrate on the bulk of their squad, adding: "We'll just see what happens. It's been a difficult time for Gav, but we have to press on."
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