Gavin Henson

At 42 years old, Gavin Henson has this physical status:

Rugby career

In May 2000, Henson's one and only appearance for Llanelli RFC was against the then Border Reivers at Greenyards. The Rievers took the match 51–23. Henson scored 5 points on a 10-point conversion and 1 penalty).

Henson, a Pencoed boy, played rugby for his primary school, Brynteg Comprehensive in Bridgend, Wales. Despite his Bridgend roots, he joined Swansea RFC at the age of 18. In 2001, he was crowned Young Player of the Year by the International Rugby Board. He had begun preparing for his international career by signing for the Wales A team during this period. He made his international debut for Wales in a Test against Japan in June 2001, coming off the bench. In a match against Romania on September 19, 2001, he began his second match, at fly-half, before turning to his next match, at fly-half. He played for Wales A against Uruguay in November of this year, scoring his first international appearance.

Regional rugby was introduced in Wales in 2003, and Henson played for the Ospreys. In a match against Ulster on September 9, 2003, he made his Ospreys debut as a replacement, scoring two tries and kicking both a penalty and conversion to score 15 points. For the upcoming match against the Newport-Gwent Dragons, he was drafted to fly-half, scoring 14 points from kicks. In 2003, Henson returned to Wales' international field. He appeared twice and was on the bench for two other Tests. He was capped against both the All Blacks and Romania.

Henson brought his international recognition to a broader audience in 2004 in Wales' autumn internationals against New Zealand and South Africa. Henson was a key part of the Welsh starting lineup, and after playing fullback in the second Test against Argentina and the first against South Africa, he spent the remainder of the season in the centres.

He stayed on the team for the 2005 Six Nations Championships. Henson delivered an excellent showing in Wales' opening match in February, earning two tackles on Mathew Tait and winning the match-winning points with a 48 m penalty kick and being named man of the match. Henson, who was back in his club team, was part of a team that won the Celtic League cup on March 26th, 2005: Henson scored 24 of his team's 29 points in the deciding match against Edinburgh on March 26, 2005.

Henson was named in the Lions squad for the tour of New Zealand in the northern hemisphere in the same year. In the first Test, he was "devastated not to be playing." He was hospitalized and he could not participate in the final test when he was chosen for the second test. In the fall of this year, he missed his return to club rugby due to a groin injury. Henson was chastised for kicking and elbowing Leicester prop Alex Moreno during a game against Leicester on December 19, 2005. He was not guilty of the throwing offence, but he was found guilty of the elbowing. He had been suspended for ten weeks and two days but this was reduced on appeal to seven weeks. Following this suspension and a single game at club level, he returned to international rugby against Ireland.

Henson's My Grand Slam Year was published in October 2005. Henson had to apologize to his teammates after learning of the Lions tour and making observations about other players. He was not selected in the Wales squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup by then coach Gareth Jenkins, but he didn't recover from a Achilles tendon injury.

Henson was called by caretaker coach Nigel Davies to play against South Africa shortly after the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He appeared in all of Wales' 2008 Six Nations Championship games, but Wales went on to win the Grand Slam for the second time in four seasons. Henson missed his first six Nations match, beginning in Cardiff on March 21, 2009, when Ireland defeated Wales 17–15 to win the Grand Slam.

Henson announced that he would retire from rugby immediately after the fact on July 13, 2009. The Sun, a British tabloid, announced it on July 13. Henson and the Ospreys released a joint statement on July 14, 2009, denying that the player had any intention of quitting. "I've certainly been suffering with the recurring injury," Henson said, "I have absolutely no intention of canceling the game."

Mike Turner of the Crusaders RL (who played in the Super League at the time) said that if Henson had ever thought of moving to rugby league, the team would be able to speak to him. Henson has made no official statement on the matter, shown no intention to join a Super League club or held any discussions with the Crusaders, though he attended their matches in 2009.

Ospreys released a statement on October 27th, indicating that Henson will be released from his service as soon as possible and that he will rejoin rugby with Saracens. Henson had not played rugby for 18 months before he was forced to return from the Ospreys to unpaid leave. Henson had been training with Saracens two days before this announcement on October 25, 2010, sparking rumors that a return to professional rugby was imminent. Henson's agent, Matt Ginvert, announced that he would return to Rugby after completing his Strictly Come Dancing programme, and Saracens Chief Executive Edward Griffiths said he had no reason why Henson would not play for the club before Christmas 2010. Henson made his debut for Saracens in October 2010, against London Wasps in the Boxing Day 2010 match; his first competitive game since March 2009. Henson was suspended from his employment on February 2nd, 2011 after playing four games for Saracens, beginning with just one.

Henson and coach Philippe Saint-André and club owner Mourad Boudjellal had lunch in Toulon on the same day, according to French sports newspaper L'Equipe. With two of their first choice fly-halves out of town, the club had an open space in their squad under Top 14 rules. When he arrived in Saracens, Henson expressed disappointment in that he was not playing in his desired role. He started a five-month contract with RC Toulonnais on the following day. In April 2011, he was suspended for two weeks following an incident on a night out during a match against Toulouse involving an alleged rivalry with his teammates. Henson was recalled back into the squad after a hearing, according to RC Toulonnais President Boudjellal. However, RC Toulonnais did not recognize Henson on May 24, 2011.

Henson played his first match for Wales in two years, starting against the Barbarians, but Henson said his match was merely "showing glimpses of what he can do." The Barbarians lost the game after Isa Nacewa scored a point in the 79th minute, taking the score from 28–26 to 28–31 to the Barbarians. Henson was selected in the 2011 Rugby World Cup squad by new Wales coach Warren Gatland after the Barbarian match. Henson began for Wales in a warm-up test against England at Millennium Stadium on August 11, 2011, but he was left late in the first half after dislocating his wrist. Following the day, it was reported that he would be out for six to eight weeks and that he would not be able to compete in the World Cup's pool stages.

Henson had signed for the Cardiff Blues in October 2011, according to his agent and then several media outlets. The club then announced the 8-month contract. After a Blues match against Glasgow Warriors on 2 April 2012, Cardiff Blues reported that his deal had been terminated by the club after he was found to be inebriated and behaving inappropriately on a flight home from Scotland. Henson's airline Flybe, which was flying with Henson, has banned him from the airline for six months.

Henson, the newly promoted London Welsh, announced on July 9, 2012, that they had signed him for the 2012/13 season. Henson, who had been relegated that year, would leave London Welsh to join Bath for the next season on June 13. "I am thrilled to be joining Bath this summer," he said, and he looks forward to being part of what looks to be a great squad. I still want to play at the highest level, and Bath is a major club with big plans. I know what is expected of me and can't wait to get to work." Henson was knocked out by Bath teammate Carl Fearns on a night out in the city on July 10, 2013.

Having revived his best form with Bath, including notable appearances in the center, he has maintained his good form. Henson, according to reports, refused the Newport Gwent Dragons' call for a change to his Bath contract.

Henson was included in the Probables squad for the Wales trial match in Swansea on May 30th, 2014, but was unable to participate due to Premier Rugby Limited's (the governing body of the English premiership) decision not to release non English players outside the IRB test window.

Henson will leave Bath for RFU Championship Bristol at the end of the Aviva Premiership season on a one-year contract, according to the website on January 23, 2015. However, Tom Homer, the incoming London Irish utility back, was released four months early from his Bath employment to take his place in the Bristol ranks on Tuesday, being replaced at Bath by incoming London Irish utility back Tom Homer.

Henson returned to Wales on March 14 to sign for the Dragons, returning to Pro14 from the 2017–18 season.

Henson retired and bought a pub after being released by the Dragons at the end of the 2018–2019 season. It was revealed on September 18, 2020, that he was joining the West Wales Raiders, a rugby league team in the third division of the league.

On 21 Mar 2021, he was in his debut as a home defeat to Widnes Vikings in a Challenge Cup tie, but he hasn't appeared since.

Source