Gavin Henson’s rugby career is in the balance after his sacking from Cardiff Blues for a drunken incident on a flight back from Glasgow at the weekend.
Henson had hoped his swift and full apology would be enough to convince the Blues to give him one more chance but it has proved to be a step too far in a career that has continually be marred by off field issues. No doubt he is a genius on the field but the risks he provides off field seem, finally, to be catching up with him.
Cardiff called an emergency management meeting to discuss Henson’s future and little over six months since he joined the side it was decided he would be sacked with immediate effect. The move to Cardiff had been planned by Henson as a chance to reignite his career and in particular re-launch his international career. Having won two Grand Slams and been on a Lions tour Henson ought to be spoken of solely for his on field achievements but in recent years his brilliance seems to have been almost forgotten. For one of the most naturally talented players to grace the game in recent years there is now some real doubt as to whether he will be able to find a club at all to ply his trade at in the future.
Henson’s career appeared to be heading in the right direction again when he moved to Saracens and then on to Toulon, scoring on his debut in France but his time in France was drawn to a close when he was involved in a drunken scrap with team mates in a French nightclub. These alcohol fuelled incidents have become all too common in Henson’s career and this latest story seemed all too inevitable. If Henson’s career is to ever get back on track he will consider himself incredibly lucky and if given another chance he will have to ensure there are no more high profile drunken incidents.