Gavin Henson in talks with Saracens
He may be the same odds as Anne Widdecombe to win BBC One dance contest, Strictly Come Dancing, but Gavin Henson could be about to return to rugby union, to join Aviva Premiership side Saracens.
The Sarries are on the hunt for a fly-half after Springbok Derick Hougaard ruptured an Achilles tendon at the weekend – ruling him out for most of the season – and have set their sights on Henson, who will be available in late December following his appearance on the Saturday night entertaining programme.
However, the Wales international is still contracted to Magners League side, Ospreys, who put Henson on unpaid leave in August 2009 following the 28-year-old’s highly-publicised break-up with singer Charlotte Church.
Since then, there has been growing speculation that Henson will quit the sport altogether. After suffering with various injury problems, and having become increasingly disillusioned with the game, it seemed that the British and Irish Lions centre’s days in rugby union were numbered.
Nevertheless, 14 months on, and a return is now on the cards.
Saracens reached the Premiership play-off final last season, where they were eventually beaten by Leicester Tigers at Twickenham, and have also started the current campaign in fine form.
But with Alex Goode the only experienced cover available to Saracens head coach Brendan Venter, Henson is now very much on the agenda according to the club’s chief executive Ed Griffiths.
"It would be wrong to provide a commentary or update on negotiations with any one individual but I can confirm there has been contact between us and Gavin," Griffiths commented.
"But we have also been speaking to three or four other players. At this stage of the season a lot of contracts are set in stone and you have to spend time talking to people and finding out who is potentially available.
"We intend to make a decision in the next few days, although one option is to stay as we are and go with the resources we have.
"The news on Derick is that he was operated on successfully and that the recovery time should be six months which would mean he should be available again towards the end of the season."
Perhaps after more than a year of searching for his true calling in life on various prime-time television shows, it’s finally dawned on Henson that it’s out on the pitch where he belongs.
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