Centre Gavin Henson has won 31 Wales caps since his debut in Japan in 2003

Gavin Henson is set to hand Wales a World Cup boost as the British and Irish Lions centre could return from indefinite leave next season.

The Ospreys superstar has been on a rugby sabbatical since an ankle injury in their EDF Energy Cup semi-final defeat by Gloucester in March 2009.

The double-Grand Slam winner's career has consistently been in doubt since.

But Ospreys chief Mike Cuddy told a newspaper that the 28-year-old will return for club and country next term.

"He has told me he will be back next season and playing before the end of the year," chairman Cuddy revealed to the Daily Mail.

"Gavin has been honest with me all along. All the injuries, especially the prolonged ones over his groin and Achilles tendon, got him down.

"He took a break and now he is feeling all the better for it."

The news of Henson's return will be a huge boost for Wales coach Warren Gatland ahead of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand next September.

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Wales certainly missed Henson's defensive attributes and creative spark in this season's Six Nations and his record of just two defeats in all of his 15 Championship matches is testament to Henson's qualities to the national team.

Indeed, Gatland admitted Henson's impact on Wales recently when the New Zealander acknowledged "when he is fit and on form, he is one of the best."

And Gatland added: "It will be a tragedy if he is lost to the game because he is a huge talent."

Henson, whose engagement to singer Charlotte Church was announced last week, is now planning to end an 18-month rugby exile that meant him missing the 2009 Lions Tour to world champions South Africa and enduring a 'soul-destroying blow.'

The 31-times capped Welshman was "really depressed" after he suffered more injury heartbreak last season and the Ospreys management agreed for him to go on unpaid, indefinite leave.

A succession of groin, hernia, calf, Achilles tendon and ankle injuries have robbed Wales of Henson's undoubted natural talent in all but 14 internationals in the last five years.

Henson has been trying to keep himself in shape during filming of reality TV show 71 Degrees North in Norway where he is one of 12 celebrities competing in gruelling challenges.

The Bridgend-born 2001 IRB Young Player of the Year has missed Wales' last two World Cups - failing to prove his fitness after an Achilles tendon problem before the 2007 showpiece - so will want to make it third time lucky at New Zealand 2011.

Henson, who joined the Ospreys from Swansea after the advent of regional rugby, shot to stardom by kicking a last-gasp winning penalty to beat rivals England 11-9 in the opening game of the 2005 Six Nations Championship.

And Henson was a key part in that memorable campaign that culminated in Wales' first Grand Slam for 27 years.

His form earned him a starting berth in the 2005 Lions' second Test in New Zealand, playing in the 48-18 defeat to the All Blacks in Wellington.

His 2007 World Cup disappointment was tempered when he played a key role in Wales' second Grand Slam in four seasons as the Welsh enjoyed a clean-sweep in 2008.

But after speculation - and subsequent denials - Henson was considering retirement from rugby, he suffered another injury blow last year.

The Ospreys and Cuddy, who is a good friend of Henson, reassured the player he would receive as much time as he needed to recover both physically and mentally.

Now the Ospreys hope Henson will comeback next season and return to the form that helped the Welsh region to the Celtic League crown in 2005 and 2007.

An Ospreys spokesman said: "Having investigated and discussed the issue, unfortunately there is nothing to add to any comments made already.

"As far as we are concerned as an organisation, the situation remains unchanged as to what it has been since last summer that Gavin is on indefinite unpaid leave.

"And until we have formal contact confirming anything then it would be incorrect for the organisation to comment."

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