Jeremy Guscott: Gavin Henson’s coming back to best – and it’s great to see
Whether it has been in the Amlin, the A-League or his cameos in the Premiership, Henson has started to regain the sort of form that saw him star for Wales in 2005 after being named IRB junior player of the year in 2001 aged 19.
Bath head coach Mike Ford said last week he thought Henson “is experienced, talented and versatile in equal measure” and I believe he will play a vital role in nurturing the young talent in the Bath back line.
At 32, Henson is the elder statesman in the midfield alongside tyro talents such as George Ford (20), Ollie Devoto (20), Tom Heathcote (22), Jonathan Joseph (22) and Kyle Estmond (24). And he could be the perfect training partner to show League star Sam Burgess the technical aspects of centre play when he arrives in October.
The thing about Henson that marks him out from other inside-centres is his ability to make everything look easy; he rarely looks like he is trying that hard and seems to glide across the pitch rather than sprint – and that has always been his way. It is utterly deceptive.
Every time he got the ball last Sunday he caused problems in the Brive defence by standing his defender still – even for a split second – to keep him guessing right until the final moment. He usually takes the ball going across the field but then has two of three little steps left, right and left again to get them off balance. It frees up the men either side of him, and, by carrying the ball in both hands, the defender is never sure whether he will pop the pass inside or out, or indeed go himself. He isn’t quick like Eastmond, but he has enough gas to make a half break and the strength to offload out of the tackle.
He has always been a fearsome defender, brave and willing to put his head where it hurts and he is becoming a leader in the Bath defensive line. His kicking, passing and tactical awareness are also from the top drawer and now, with his attitude seeming to be right, he looks to be once again a formidable rugby player.
With a number of the young Bath backs likely to be away with England next season, Henson provides cover in a number of positions and could play a substantial role in the club’s development.
It wasn’t a great start to his career in the West Country. The bar room altercation with Carl Fearns suggested Henson had not learned from his previous mistakes but it really seems to have just been a blip. Since then I have heard nothing but praise for the Welshman coming out of Bath.
He has settled down and refocussed his attention to the thing he is best at: playing rugby. He is clearly enjoying being part of a young, vibrant team and relishing the extra responsibility that comes with being a senior player.
No doubt, like all top pros, he will have one eye on the World Cup in England next year but I think before he has a realistic chance of breaking into Warren Gatland‘s squad he must first nail down a starting position at Bath week in, week out. That will be no mean feat, especially with the addition of Burgess to the mix provided Bath play him in the centre rather than back row.
Ahead of Henson for Wales are Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams and Ashley Beck – all of whom are starters for their club teams. Henson will have his work cut out to oust one of those but if he can demand Bath selection by maintaining consistency and continuing to provide those flashes of brilliance that ignite a back line, it is not an impossible task.
Henson has a fantastic rugby brain and I can understand why the coaches wanted to keep him at the Rec for another season. He has never quite reached his potential and I for one hope he finally does at Bath by being a fundamental part of their growth and development into a top force in Europe. If he stays fit and hungry I can see him playing for another three years at this level.
I am pleased to see Danny Cipriani demanding the headlines for the right reasons this season and his player of the month award was richly deserved.
His performances have been catching the eye for Sale and his form has helped catapult them up the table this term. However, to be brutally honest, I don’t think he is yet quite back to his previous levels in the Wasps days before the horrific ankle injury.
Back then he was beating defenders in his sleep, stepping and dummying left and right, while mixing his game up with deft chip and chases.
That will all hopefully come back the more he plays consistently and the key thing is he looks to be regaining his confidence. A lot of credit goes to Steve Diamond, and also Steve Black, the life coach who helped Jonny Wilkinson fulfil his potential.
Cipriani, for me, is currently fourth choice in the England fly-half pecking order behind Owen Farrell, George Ford and Stephen Myler, with Freddie Burns dropping down after a poor season blighted by speculation over his move to Leicester. However it is the legacy of life that he will judged on the past and people expect him to revert to his old ways regardless of the levels of brilliance he displays each week.
I would like to think that is not the case anymore with Cipriani; he has the support network around him of good friends and coaches to help restore him to his best. Without those good friends people stuggle in life, as Cipriani has previously. Let’s hope they are there for good now, and one day he may be able to fulfil the Henson role in mentoring some younger players.
The three 10s ahead of him in Stuart Lancaster‘s plans have earned the right to represent their country and Cipriani knows he must, too, earn it. For me, fly-half is the most important player on the pitch. He is the boss, the brain that decides how the team functions.
Cipriani needs these last three league games to make a real statement that the new mature Cipriani is ready to be his country’s go-to man and convince Lanacaster he is ready for a recall in New Zealand.
