Henson joins London Welsh
Gavin Henson has been given yet another chance to resurrect his career after joining Aviva Premiership newcomers London Welsh.
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Wales centre Henson, 30, has been without a club since April, after being sacked by Cardiff Blues over his drunken behaviour on a flight returning from a game in Glasgow.
The move is a gamble for London Welsh, but Henson previously worked with Exiles coach Lyn Jones during his time at the Ospreys, producing arguably the best rugby of his career and helping the region win two Celtic League titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup.
Jones is confident that he can get the best out of Henson, but has warned plenty of patience will be required given the three-quarter has made just 17 appearances in 41 months.
Jones told Sky Sports News: "There's a good chance he'll never reach those heights (of his time at the Ospreys) again to be honest with you, but he just needs to get up to speed and establish himself and I'm not really confident he'll became a very, very good player until about maybe mid-October, November.
"The guy needs a bit of time, he needs a bit of space, his tools are quite blunt and he'll need to sharpen them up, so he's got a lot of work ahead of him that he's prepared to get on with.
"He's rolling his sleeves up, and all you can do is offer people opportunities and it's up to them how they take it but we're confident that he can deliver."
Henson won the most recent of his 33 Wales caps in the World Cup warm-up victory over England in Cardiff last August, but a wrist injury sustained in that game denied him the chance to be involved in the World Cup in New Zealand.
Given the player's history the move will be considered by many to be a risky one for London Welsh as they prepare to embark on their first top-flight campaign.
Despite playing an integral part in Wales' 2005 and 2008 Grand Slam campaigns, and touring New Zealand with the Lions in 2005, Henson has yet to deliver consistently on the glimpses of class he has shown during a checkered career.
The Blues were Henson's fourth club in little over a year after being released by the Ospreys in 2010 and having short stints at Saracens and Toulon.
His spell in France had also been marred by an alcohol-related incident, with the club suspending him for a week after a nightclub altercation with two team-mates.
During a period of unpaid leave from the Ospreys prior to his move to Saracens he also appeared on reality TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and 71 Degrees North, and last year featured on The Bachelor.
The Exiles have not disclosed the length of Henson's contract but he will start training with his new team-mates on Tuesday.
London Welsh managing director and former Wales flanker John Taylor says he has been impressed by the player's attitude during discussions over his move to the club.
"We are obviously delighted to have been able to sign a player of Gavin's pedigree," he said.
"He is the first to admit things have gone a little haywire over the last few years but he has impressed on me that he still feels he has a lot to prove as a rugby player and is determined to ensure he is not remembered as somebody who never fulfilled his great potential.
"I am confident he will fit in well here and it is obvious he cannot wait to get back to what he does best - playing rugby."
- Profiles
Gavin Henson factfile
1982: Born February 1 in Bridgend.
2000: Joins Swansea at the age of 18.
2001: Named the International Rugby Board's young player of the year. Wins first Wales cap on summer tour of Japan and makes first start against Romania in Cardiff in September.
2002: October 4 - Sent off after flinging Llanelli winger Garan Evans into an advertising hoarding. Swansea go on to lose the game 62-6.
2003: Misses out on selection for the World Cup in Australia.
2005: February 5 - Kicks the winning penalty as Wales beat England 11-9 at the Millennium Stadium.
March 19: Part of the Wales side that completes a first Grand Slam for 27 years.
March 26: Scores 24 points as the Ospreys seal the Celtic League title with victory over Edinburgh.
April 11: Named in Sir Clive Woodward's squad for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. Plays in the second Test as the Lions are routed 3-0 by their hosts.
October: Releases a book entitled 'My Grand Slam Year'. Comments about other players and life in the Wales camp sees him forced to apologise to his team-mates.
December 19: Elbows Leicester prop Alex Moreno in a Heineken Cup game and serves a seven-week ban.
2006: February 26 - Just 12 days after Mike Ruddock's shock resignation as Wales coach, Henson comes off the bench as the visitors are trounced 31-5 by Ireland in Dublin. Henson later described himself as feeling "suicidal" over his performance.
2007: Misses out on World Cup selection following Achilles injury.
December 10 - Charged with disorderly conduct over behaviour on a train after helping Ospreys beat Harlequins. The case is later dropped.
2008: Becomes a mainstay in new coach Warren Gatland's Wales side.
March 15 - Part of Wales side that beats France 29-12 in Cardiff to win another Six Nations Grand Slam, but picks up an injury and misses the summer tour to South Africa.
2009: March 21 - Tastes defeat for the first time in a Six Nations match he has started as Ireland claim the Grand Slam with a 17-15 win in Cardiff.
March 28: Suffers an ankle injury playing for the Ospreys against Gloucester which rules him out of the Lions tour to South Africa.
August 29: It is revealed Henson is on indefinite, unpaid leave from the Ospreys.
2010: September 8: Named as a contestant on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.
October 27: Released by Ospreys from the remainder of his contract, which ran until May 2011.
October 28: Signs for Saracens.
December 26: Comes off the bench to make his Saracens debut in the 13-6 victory over Wasps in the Aviva Premiership at Wembley.
2011: January 2 - Makes his only start for Saracens in the 28-22 defeat by Sale Sharks.
February 2: Saracens agree to release Henson from his contract after just four appearances.
February 3: Joins French Top 14 side Toulon.
April 18: Following his second appearance in a victory over Toulouse, Henson is suspended by Toulon for a breach of club discipline.
May 24: Toulon confirm earlier reports of Henson's departure.
June 14: Channel 5 confirm Henson will star in new TV dating show, a UK version of the US hit The Bachelor.
August 13: World Cup hopes come to an end because of a dislocated bone in his right wrist suffered in Wales' 19-9 win over England in Cardiff.
October 18: Signs for Cardiff Blues.
2012: March 31 - Suspended by Cardiff Blues following an incident on the flight back from Scotland after their match against Glasgow Warriors the previous night, he later apologises for his behaviour.
April 2: Cardiff Blues confirm they have dismissed Henson with immediate effect.
July 9: Signs for Aviva Premiership newcomers London Welsh.