Gavin Henson has been branded a non-team player by the Wales coach who gave him his international baptism eleven years ago. Lynn Howells, in charge when Henson won his cap in Japan eleven years ago, claims that subsequent events have reinforced his damning verdict about the Welsh Lion who divides opinion like no other.
The veteran coach portrays a self-centred player unwilling to buy into the team ethic. “He is a fabulous rugby player and I would never decry his rugby ability,” Howells writes in his newly-published autobiography*.
“But I would never have him in any squad of players that I coached…as a person within a team environment he can cause problems to that team environment.”
Howells also admits to his “regret” that he happened to be the coach who gave Henson his baptism, a position brought about because the Japanese tour clashed with the Lions in Australia under the command of Graham Henry. His absence cleared the way for Howells’ temporary promotion as he was the New Zealander’s assistant coach.
“Gavin is not a team man and it became quite obvious very early in the tour that Gavin does what Gavin wants to do. He doesn’t conform to a squad mentality. There is nothing wrong with being your own person but when you are part of a team you have to become a team member.
“You can’t be an individual….there has to be a time when you become a team member and he wasn’t capable of doing that. A lot of people might think this is childish but this is how it became obvious to me that Gavin didn’t mix.
“On this tour we had a T-shirt which was never washed but anyone who was due to win their first cap had to wear the shirt for a designated time. It stank…everyone bought into it, everyone that is except one person.
“Gavin Henson completely refused and just threw the shirt down saying: ‘I’m not wearing that’. He therefore alienated himself from everyone in the team. It appears that he has continued to do just that throughout his career. He plays a game or two for Wales, then goes off and does a reality television show.
“Back in 2001 I had seen enough to convince me that Henson was not a squad man, not a team man and was only interested in one person: Gavin Henson. His keenness to take part in reality television programmes when he should have been concentrating on his rugby career proved the point.”
Henson revealed some years ago that he “didn’t get on” with Howells. “I don’t really know why,” he said in his autobiography. “We just didn’t hit it off. I tend to make instant judgements of people and one of the things I decide is whether or not they believe in me. Lynn, it seemed to me, obviously didn’t.”
Howells reveals that he made his views of Henson known to Henry upon his return from the losing Lions series. “He could then decide whether he wanted to include Henson in future Wales squads or not,” Howells wrote. “Graham never commented to me about my observations but I know he took them on board.”
The Henry-Howells partnership would come to a swift end. Howells tells how after returning to his native Maerdy in the Rhondda, Henry invited him to lunch. “We sat down and had food and after we had finished he said, and these were his exact words: ‘There’s got to be changes, mate, and either I am going or you are going and I’m not going anywhere’,”
Ironically, Howells out-stayed Henry. While the former saw out the 2003 Six Nations, Henry had gone some 12 months earlier, asking the WRU to release him from his five-year contract because the Lions tour and the “all-demanding” Welsh job had left him “burnt-out”.
His former right-hand man has never suffered from any such affliction. After recovering from the shockingly early demise of the Celtic Warriors, Howells has coached in Italy, England and Scotland and is still going strong, back on the international stage as head coach of Romania with another World Cup in his sights.
*Lynn Howells, despite the knock-backs, published by Y Lolfa Cyf, £9,95.
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