By Ossian Shine
April 3 (Reuters) – Boozy antics aboard a Saturday morning
flight have left Gavin Henson bounced onto the steps outside
rugby’s last-chance saloon, pondering his future.
Cardiff Blues acted swiftly and decisively on Monday,
sacking the twice Grand Slam-winning Welshman after his
drink-fuelled escapades on the FlyBe flight from
Glasgow.
The airline was equally unimpressed and banned the
30-year-old centre from flying with them for six months, citing
their “zero tolerance attitude to unruly behaviour on board our
aircraft”.
Henson might have hoped an emphatic public apology would
have spared him the axe, but there would appear to be little
goodwill left in the bank for a player who has endured
inglorious exits from his last three clubs — Saracens, Toulon
and now Cardiff.
The player said on Sunday he was “truly embarrassed” about
his behaviour on the flight, on which he had “stupidly carried
on drinking” and that he had let his team, sponsors and family
down.
“I am prepared to co-operate 100 percent with the Cardiff
Blues wishes and will do everything that I need to do in order
to make amends… I remain fully focused and committed to
Cardiff Blues and I hope they can accept my apology.” he said in
a public apology.
The candid climb down proved insufficient, however, and
Blues management felt unable to retain the international.
“Gavin admitted himself that his behaviour was totally
unacceptable,” Blues CEO Richard Holland said in a club
statement after terminating Henson’s contract.
“We have a duty to our supporters and sponsors to protect
the good name of Cardiff Blues… Gavin Henson is obviously a
talented rugby player and it’s unfortunate that his career at
the Blues has ended this way.”
Unfortunate, but perhaps not entirely unexpected.
IN-FLIGHT DRINKING
A tabloid constant during his relationship with former
partner, singer Charlotte Church, Henson’s focus has drifted
from rugby to showbusiness in recent years.
He starred in a reality ballroom dancing show in Britain and
last year 25 women battled it out in a reality show to win the
heart of Henson “The Bachelor”.
There remains, however, some sympathy for the former Young
Player of the Year in rugby circles. Henson’s former coach at
Ospreys Lyn Jones said Blues management should be held to
account over the events that led to Henson’s sacking.
“Henson’s not innocent — he’s made a mistake, like every
other player,” Jones told the BBC. “For Gavin to be hung out to
dry like this is inexcusable.”
Former Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies was more candid in his
appraisal.
“The first thing is it’s very sad, because Cardiff Blues
gave (Henson) an opportunity and he’s kind of messed it up
again. He did have a lot to offer, but there’s only one person
to blame and sadly, that’s Gavin himself and I’m sure he’ll be
bitterly disappointed when he looks back on his career.”
Henson’s in-flight drinking may have proved to be the final
straw for a player who has used up second chances in the past.
Still, though, he can feel aggrieved at the severity of the
punishment, particularly in a fortnight where Northampton Saints
flanker Calum Clark was hit with a 32-week penalty for breaking
an opponents’ arm and England hooker Dylan Hartley was banned
for eight weeks for biting.
Some observers have suggested financial considerations may
have played a part in the sacking and that it may have been an
opportunity to offload Henson and his salary at a time when
money is tight in Welsh rugby.
Wales’s four regions have agreed to operate a 3.5 million
pounds ($5.59 million) salary cap for next season, to help
combat wage inflation at a time of falling attendances.
The cap is less than the 4.2m pounds imposed on English top
flight clubs and a little more than half the 8 million euros
($10.65 million) Top 14 clubs in France operate under.
While a number of questions remain over the sacking of
Henson, the most prominent for the player himself is ‘where
next’ for someone who promised so much, but largely failed to
deliver.
“I think he can still play rugby but it’s down to clubs if
they want to gamble on him,” former Welsh international Tom
Shanklin said.
“But he is a big name who puts bums on seats.”
