Gavin Henson displayed his physique at a recent photo-shoot

BBC Scrum V pundit and ex-Wales captain Robert Jones hopes Ospreys centre Gavin Henson returns to star at international level, but fears it will not happen.

Henson has been on unpaid leave since injury struck him down while playing for the Ospreys in April 2009.

Henson was quoted in a Sunday newspaper supplement saying he wanted to play at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

But Jones doubts Henson will return, saying: "My head probably says no and my heart would love to see him back."

Henson's relationship with entertainer Charlotte Church has recently ended and Henson is quoted as saying the motivation of his children Ruby and Dexter seeing him play for Wales at the World Cup will spur his return to the sport.

But unconfirmed reports have linked him with a place on the BBC's popular show Strictly Come Dancing, which could prevent his return to rugby until late December.

I've never played in a World Cup and I'd love Ruby and Dexter to watch their dad Gavin Henson's quote in a magazine article

And he failed to turn up for pre-season training with the Ospreys.

In the News of the World supplement article Henson said he took time out of the sport following a series of injuries that left his morale drained.

He is quoted as saying: "I'd had enough of the game, I had no will to train. I'd had a run of injuries for two or three years.

"I'd be out for seven months, then come back for a month and get injured again. I'd been training for 10 years and my body needed a break. There is only so much sport rehab you can do.

"Rugby is such a full-on job. I wasn't depressed but I wasn't enjoying it.

"I've never played in a World Cup and I'd love Ruby and Dexter to watch their dad. I know people retire at 32 or 34, but I think I could play on for a while because I look after myself."

Henson also acknowledges the prospect that any return to rugby may not be with the Ospreys, but says remaining near his children would be a priority.

"If it didn't work out at the Ospreys maybe I would have to look to England, or perhaps France.

"But being a dad is the most important thing to me. If anything good comes out of the split [with Church] then it's that I can become an even better father and appreciate Ruby and Dexter even more."

But ex-Swansea, Wales and British and Irish Lions scrum-half Jones wonders if Henson has the necessary desire and ambition to make a serious bid to return to top-flight rugby.

606: DEBATE No one knows what he will do, but unless and until Henson announces his retirement from the game I assume he will return to play Ospreydragon

Howver, Robert Jones also believes Wales coach Warren Gatland, Ospreys director Mike Cuddy and coaching boss Scott Johnson could help persuade the player to return.

"That's the big question mark, the fact that he's gone away from the game - he's enjoyed the last 12 months or so and he's probably in a position now where he's questioning whether he does want to or need to come back to play rugby.

"I'd love to say to him that he's going to be a long time out of the game and he would have missed this period of time and if he doesn't get back on the field I'm sure he'll regret it enormously in the future.

"So I'd love to think that he does get back there, but I do question whether the desire to play regional and international rugby is there or putting his body through the demands of professionalism and I think that's the big problem.

"If Warren Gatland and perhaps Mike Cuddy or Scott Johnson down at the Ospreys can convince him to get back and do that, well you've got a quality player that Wales would be desperate to select.

"But it's down to the individual. It's down to whether he wants it enough because desire and ambition play a big part."

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