Henson blow leaves Wales coach reeling

Apr 29 2008 by Andy Howell, Western Mail

GAVIN HENSON is almost certainly out of Wales’ summer tour to South Africa.

Henson has been booked in for an ankle operation – meaning Wales coach Warren Gatland is likely to take on the World Cup winners without three of his Grand Slam stars.

Scrum-half Mike Phillips is out having suffered cruciate ligament damage while wing Mark Jones has had a groin operation and is another major tour doubt.

There is also concern over lethal finisher Shane Williams (hamstring) but it is the loss of Henson that has rocked the Wales camp still further.

Henson damaged ankle ligaments when the Ospreys crashed out of the Heineken Cup earlier this month, but the seriousness of the injury was played down.

Only last Friday assistant coach Sean Holley speculated that the 26-year-old could be back for this week’s Magners League clash with Edinburgh at the Liberty Stadium.

But that has turned out to be wishful thinking with Henson visiting an ankle specialist after the injury failed to respond to physiotherapy.

The 28 times capped inside-centre has been told he needs surgery and faces a minimum lay-off of four to six weeks, making his chances of being picked for Wales’ tour of South Africa remote.

European kings Wales face the World Cup holders in Bloemfontein on June 7 and in Pretoria a week later in their two-Test series.

His probable absence will be a huge blow to Gatland’s plans to pull off an historic first Welsh victory against the Springboks on South African soil.

Candidates to wear the number 12 jersey are thin on the ground so the Kiwi might have no option other than to go for Test rookie Gavin Evans (Scarlets) or the uncapped Andrew Bishop – who has impressed deputising for Henson at the Ospreys – if he wants a specialist centre.

Gatland’s other options are to field a centre combination of Sonny Parker and Tom Shanklin, controversially bring back former skipper Gareth Thomas or switch James Hook to inside-centre and start with Stephen Jones at outside-half.

Henson is due to enter hospital tomorrow for keyhole surgery to examine the full extent of the damage. If it turns out to be worse than hoped, the glamour boy of Welsh rugby could face a much longer lay-off, probably as much as three months.

“The news comes as a blow as we look to finish the season in winning style, and personally for Gavin, who has been in such good form this year,” said Ospreys head coach Lyn Jones.

“Hopefully, the investigation will bring him good news and he can be back up and about within just a few weeks.”

Ospreys physiotherapist Chris Towers added: “Gavin’s injury hasn’t responded to treatment as anticipated and so he was routinely reviewed by an ankle specialist.

“And, in light of the ligament damage involved, the specialist felt that it was advisable, at this stage, to examine the potential for any instability of the joint.

“In this instance, the only way to achieve this is to screen the ankle in theatre.

“The best-case scenario will see Gavin sidelined for a further four to six weeks, with no further action needing to be taken.

“However, if the examination reveals clinical instability then the plan will be to repair the ligament at that time, which would be likely to sideline Gavin for approximately 12 weeks.

“It is impossible to say what the outcome will be until the specialist has had a chance to assess the ankle fully.”

Henson became an integral part of Wales’ second Grand Slam in four seasons after being omitted from the 2007 World Cup squad by former coach Gareth Jenkins.