Henson picked up his latest injury against Gloucester in March

By Gareth Roberts BBC Sport Wales

Ospreys director Mike Cuddy has revealed Gavin Henson asked to be unpaid during the indefinite injury leave he is currently on.

Cuddy insists Henson will defy his doubters and eventually return to action to produce his best form.

Cuddy said Henson's request to be unpaid was "a sign of his integrity".

The Ospreys joint managing director told BBC Sport Wales: "He's felt, I think, that for the last three years he hasn't given value for money."

Cuddy added: "We didn't think that was the case because we know that all the injuries he had were genuine injuries.

"But that's Gavin for you and I'm sure that we haven't seen the best of Gavin yet.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on Henson

"It's [offering to be unpaid] a sign of his integrity."

The Ospreys denied several reports over the summer that Henson was to retire because of repeated Achilles and groin injuries.

The Welsh region admitted the root cause of Henson's problems was a mystery.

But Cuddy insisted: "I'm sure that we haven't seen the best of Gavin yet."

Henson starred in Wales' 2005 and 2008 Grand Slams, but his career in between and since has been blighted by injuries, leading to to poor form and public and media criticism.

Having been omitted from Wales' 2003 and 2007 World Cup squads, Henson also missed the summer's British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa after being injured against Gloucester in March.

Businessman Cuddy said Henson's absence was purely about the combination of injuries affecting him.

And Cuddy would not offer a date by which he expected Henson, whose contract with the region is due to expire at the end of the 2010/11 season, to return.

Cuddy said: "[Henson's absence is] about injury. I keep on saying that he's had a torrid two or three years and because he hasn't been able to do what he does best that would make him an unhappy guy as well.

"One thing, he is an honest boy, and he wants to do his best and he's still only 27.

"He's got five, six, seven good years in front of him and let's hope that the decision to rest it longer will be the right one.

[Henson's] He's taking as much time as he needs to and we are willing for him to do that Ospreys director Mike Cuddy

"[His spirits] are good. I think it's good because he feels like he's getting better. It's the first time he's given it [the injuries] time.

"Because he's such a good player everybody's rushing him back.

"We all want players back on the park as quickly as possible, especially the better ones and he's been no real exception.

"And he's a very loyal boy and it's just been a catastrophe for the last two or three years where he's come back, he's been injured, he's come back, he's been injured.

"So he's the only person really who knows his body and he's taking as much time as he needs to and we are willing for him to do that."

Cuddy also claimed people in the media had played a part in undermining Henson's morale, saying many of those who had criticised the player now wanted to see him back in action.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version