[Closed] all hail the return of the king (rugby content)

Caught this thread late but heres a tackle. JPR Williams at 1.37 ish

very henson like with the lack of arms!!

I don't read headlines but have made my own balanced judgement on him and he's a tool. Wouldnt waste my money going to the Millennium- £70-80 per head is a price not worth paying to say I was there. and i'd rather go out riding on a nice day than stay in and watch wales given the option. Not a pisshead either. I hope he proves me wrong but I imagine he won't. And if you sell your life to the media- weddings in trashy mags, reality TV appearances etc, then you can't cry foul when the media judges you.

He is not a great player. He has played a few good internationals for Wales. he needs to get fit, play at a high level week in week out, keep his trap shut and rebuild his career. However he doesn't seem to have the internal resolve or desire to do this. If he does play well for 6-12 months for Saracens then maybe he deserves a recall. I think if he returns to the Wales squad in a prodigal son like manner it could be extremely devisive and could backfire badly.

I hope he finally fulfills his considerable talent, but to do this he needs to get his head right.

And correct me if i'm wrong i'm sure you will Gavin's boyfriend!. Until today he was under contract with the Ospreys til the end of this season. Gavin walked out on this contract, firstly because he couldnt handle getting injured poor dab, and it was his call to take an unpaid sabattical from the game because he had lost his desire for the game. He should have honoured his contract with the club who stood by them through this and quite understandibly got pissed off recently when he started tarting himself around English clubs. If he had continued with rehab from his injuries Ospreys would have been legally bound to pay him through this til the end of his contract (unless thaey had a get out clause). He has handled himself unprofesionally and deserves the derision he gets

I also think he will be a marked man in England and will be the target for regular big hits. So it could be a car crash return.

But the good thing about him is love or hate him he gets people talking about the game.

As for wales' recent grandslam successes-the recent 6 nations competitions have been mediocre. Do you really believe that the current 6 nations is anywhere near on a level with current southern hemisphere rugby. No Northern Hemisphere Team has consistently competed with or beaten the big 3 on their own soil since you know who between 2000-2003.

As for wales' recent grandslam successes-the recent 6 nations competitions have been mediocre. Do you really believe that the current 6 nations is anywhere near on a level with current southern hemisphere rugby. No Northern Hemisphere Team has consistently competed with or beaten the big 3 on their own soil since you know who between 2000-2003.

whats that got to do with anything? Do you seriously think wales would have won the 2005 grandslam without Henson who was the difference in that first game against England. You talk about a couple of tackles on a kid which is fair but he also flatterned Cueto (or was it Cohen that game) as well as Julian White the tighthead prop, he moved to full back when Thomas was binned and put in some fantastic kicks too. In the ireland game he gathered up O'Driscol put him in his pocket and carried him around all game. He's appears as thick as shit, bit of a prima dona to say the least and is clearly mentally fragile, but his natural talent is massive.

I can see most of your points but not sure I agree with the Ospreys looking after him and dont think the physicality of the Aviva will be a problem if he gets match fit. Headhunters dont come off well against him, ask that big Argie prop from Leicester!!

I don't dispute his talents are massive, and as I have already said I hope he proves me wrong and gives saracens/wales 4-5 years of world class performances consistently.

I'm not in love with Henson like you. You are clearly one of his biggest fans and you can only recall less than ten "great" performances in a wales shirt-hardly the stuff legends are made of. Therefore he is not a great of the game. He's been unlucky with injuries yest but that's the risk you run when you are a show pony in a contact sport. True greats perform consistently over years, have the mental resolve and resilience to come back from adversity and don't walk out on their team mates when things don't go their way.

King no and technically Mike Tindall must be closer in line to the throne just because he's shagging Zara Phillips!!

Maybe this is a discussion we should be having in 5 years when you can reflect on ALL of his career though.

I'm a welshman but there's no way that Henson is the king!

Simply delusional.

He's a very good player, I'll give you that. But given the choice between Henson, Roberts, Gibbs, Bateman, Gravell (& that's only the Welsh contingent) He'd be last on the team sheet.

Don't get carried away. On form, Henson can be world class. Unfortunately he's notoriously flaky and has had some relly, really bad games too.

Twin apart from the two I've mentiond what have been his bad games for Wales? He's a been a better player than Roberts but would agree on the others, not fit to lace the boots of Gibbs or Bateman, never really saw anyhting of Gravelle. Intresting that Gibbs and Bateman dont come in for any stick but both took the league cash and left Welsh rugby in the shit.

Scott Gibbs is also a legendary Taxi driver!! Bridgend cab rides will never be the same!

I don't think you can compare pre-pro RU with what happens now. At the end of the day in the 80's and 90's players needed to secure themselves and their families financially , and if that meant going North then you can't blame them as the financial rewards were far greater in RL back then. RU should have woken up and smelt the coffee and gone pro in the 70's or 80's. I can clearly remember when Jiffy went north in 87ish and it was like Wales were in national mourning- ridiculous. Now there's a great of the game. A world beater in all codes internationally in RU And RL , successful in the NRL, professional shagger, and he's had personal tragedy to cope with , IIRC he lost his 1st wife with stomach cancer and he has a great chat show on S pedwar Heck- not.

It's interesting how flambuoyant and flair players polarise opinions in all sports henson/hoddle/gascoigne/pieterson etc. All hugely talented!! Makes the game more interesting though. If all players were Wilkinson like robot clones it would be dull dull dull!!

can't see any point on adding any more to the Henson debate though.

How can 2005 and 2008 be a "flash in the pan"? A core of players in both years, some of who are great players. I'll admit 2005 was seat of the pants rugby, maturing in 2008. Grand slams are increadibly difficult to win - england have won one since 1995.

As for Henson, rugby is for the better IF he is firing on all cyclinders. I'd love to have a fully motivated Gavlar spreading the missionary work at Kingsholm, but currently our centres are coming along nicely - even Tindall.

In the ireland game he gathered up O'Driscol put him in his pocket and carried him around all game.

Jeez a_a, this obsession of yours.

I think we all know which of the above two players is the "greater".

I think we all know which of the above two players is the "greater".

no doubt about that BOD is a true great Henson aint but as counter to people saying he has never done much for Wales its a very good point. Tom Shanklin is half the player without Henson inside him.

Tom Shanklin is half the player without Henson inside him.

Sorry but....*s*****

Yeah, I know what you mean though fella 😉

Anyway, never mind Henson. The Raging Bull has retired. A Gloucester Great. His last game was at Kingsholm too.

Apparently played a few games for England too.

shame about Vickery had all the attributes Henson seems to lack.

Vickery is also a thoroughly decent chap who used to frequent my inlaws local near newent. No posing, pouting or ego just a great player.

My point of flash in the pan is that Wales have not consistently challenged for the 6 nations. Grand slam one year, 3rd or 4th the next couple then another slam and 2 more years of mediocrity.

and who played when the grandslams were won and who didnt the other years 😉

It will be interesting to watch Henson in the Prem.

Will he be driven enought that he can pick himself up for the 3rd hard game in 10 days, when it's a howling, windy mudfest where the forwards are doing most of the dominating?
Will he be given any credit by his new team mates or will he have to prove himself week in, week out?
Will he walk away again if/when he is injured?

The bloke has talent, no question about that. He hasn't come across as much of a team player for Ospreys & even less as a club man. I doubt he'll get away with that attitude from the saffers at Sarries!

played for all his career from the age of 18 at Swansea/Ospreys, criticise him for things he's done not things you've imagined

Well, there's been enough rumours over the yrs from Ospreys fans i've spoken to about his apparent standoffishness with his team mates, plus his spectacular own goal regarding his estrangement of the Welsh Team to lead me down that path.

It seems he's been signed as cover for injuries rather than as a central player in his own right, going to be hard i suspect for him to make any shirt his own at Sarries. He won't have the support of the Union pushing for his inclusion - or rather, if he does it won't have any effect!

I doubt any of us know him personally so we can only go from media reports, & even you AA must admit he's been his own worst enemy in that regard....

Now Hooky on the other hand i WOULD love to see in the Prem!

Henson does have Lions test caps. You don't get these for being merely an ok player. There again, he was picked on a tour where players either clearly over the hill or not fit or both, were given caps.

Oh he's good - when he can be arsed it seems.

To be great he needs to be good when it's all going wrong around him & i honestly don't see him as a natural leader type in that regard.

if he plays near to his best he would be a shoe in at 12 for anyside in the aviva, big if though. Doubt he's been signed as cover for any position, I expect he's mainly been signed to generate intrest and sell tickets, in the hope he may regain some form.

Playing well he's much better than Hook.

Sorry no, i can't seem him as better than Hook.

Guardian has him signed as cover for Hoegaard (sp?) at outside-half.

I can't wait to see him in the Prem, even if Sarries will probably destroy my beloved Sale! 🙂

The whole outside half thing is intriguing as he hasnt kicked the ball since 2005 due to injury

most over rated player to ever pull on the red shirt - and he blew the lovely Charlotte out - Henson = fail

[url= http://www.rugbylover.co.uk/campaignoffer002.html?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=content+image&utm_term=rugby%20player&gclid=CJDAlKPI9qQCFYY14wodPl9Igw ]http://www.rugbylover.co.uk/[/url]
I would 😉

Many happy Saturdays @ Kingsholm, TBH it was the only good thing about living in Gloucester

Yes, and all the players seem to live in Cheltenham! Big game against Tigers tomorrow.........

most over rated player to ever pull on the red shirt

if you think that and you've watched him play you seriously lack any understanding of the game.

Hmmm house in gloucester c/w house in cheltenham ... now let me think!!!

Hot off the press from Gats

Gatland said: "Until he gets on the rugby field and starts playing and starts performing and catches our eye, Gavin Henson's not on our minds."

The Wales coach was speaking as his team conducted an open training session for fans at the Millennium Stadium ahead of the November Tests.

double post oops!

and the day before:

On Thursday's Scrum V radio programme, Gatland's defensive assistant Shaun Edwards suggested Henson could be considered for the Six Nations, which Wales kick off against England in Cardiff on Friday, 4 February.

"It's fantastic for Welsh rugby to get one of our best players back fit and available," Edwards said.

"Around the time of the Six Nations he should be firing on all cylinders if he stays fit. There seems a correlation with Gavin playing and Wales winning."

not sure how edwards considers him fit or available though

Inventive marketing wizards at colour-blind rugby machine (The) ‘Ospreys’ are behind a bare-faced attempt to keep Gavin Henson on Strictly Come Dancing, despite his obvious lack of prowess. “We’re rooting for Gav to make it all the way to the Christmas final, prove all his doubters wrong, and keep focussed on his dearly held ambition: being on telly,” squawked Cerys Morgan, PR bunny at Ospreys’ pint sized communications agency ‘99 Tosspots’. “We are using the Internet a lot, especially all the social parts.”

Henson’s performances thus far on SCD have been characterised by his daft hairstyle, stiff backside and lots of blushing. “The judges don’t know what to do, especially Bruno” quipped Bruce Forsyth, between gasps from his oxygen mask during a recent filming intermission. “Maybe the Welsh vote is keeping him in, plus a lot of support from the UK’s small but vocal population of shiny orange, shaven people.”

In the Telegraph today
Rhodri Morgan, former First Minister for Wales:
For sheer talent, he has more in his little finger than Jonny Wilkinson has in his whole body. However, the problem is that for sheer application, Jonny Wilkinson has had more in his little finger than Gavin has had in his whole body. He has under exploited his natural reservoir of talent.”

come on gav!!!

Already got the Sky set to autoview. Hopefully he gets some quality time...

anagallis_arvensis - Member
come on gav!!!

'kin hell fella, if you carry on this much man love for him, it sounds like you probably will do...

Well if that game was an advert for the Premiership...........woeful.

Thought Gav did ok on his return, shame we was such a dick in the interview afterwards and I want him to fulfil his potential.

what did he say afterwards?

Henson didnt do much after the welsh won the grand slam. And being an England fan im not quaking in my boots if he decides to return/gets picked for wales. He did all that strictly stuff before he hung up the boots for good. I bet he has loads of mirrors in his house as well.

Henson didnt do much after the welsh won the grand slam

mainly because he didnt play

He did all that strictly stuff before he hung up the boots for good.

makes no sense at all sorry

AA, he did not have to do much to score it tho?

Doing better than he did at Saracens then? Apart from a few moments it looked like he'd forgotten what he was supposed to do.

a few moments in the what 30mins he played, Henson knockers are a funny bunch. He just played 80mins for a team that hammered Stade Francais scoring a try and setting one up. Still England have Tndall and hape!!

And this;
[img] [/img]

I believe Henson has won two grand slams, how many in that picture can say that?

Just Thomson?

There's at least one world champion in that picture (worth infinite grand slams), can henson (or any welshman) say they've been world champs?

So he scored 😀 how did he contribute through out the game.

Backhander stop being so churlish 🙂

Moi?
Merely responding in kind 😀

There's one world champion isnt there? Wales are never likely to win a world cup so Henson can hardly be criticesed for not winning a world cup. He's also a test Lion to go with two grandslams, not a bad record for any player, especially one so much derided for wasting his talent.

Didnt see the game except for the last 5 mins on a dodgy feed. He did a good job setting up the first try shown above though and lasted the whole game. Not bad for a first 80mins in 2 years

http://kiwii.co.uk/

You are Anon6475 and I claim my prize 🙂 [i]Anon6475: i'm only watching to see if gavin henson is playing well[/i]

The legend that is Caucau!

Who is he going to play for now given that he got sacked by Toulon - what a total pillock. Overrated, egomaniac. Will any other half decent club take him on with the amount of baggage he has?

I cannot imagine what club will take him now. Maybe a second division side? Will one of he relegation threatened clubs take him on for the last couple of games?

TandemJeremy - Member
I cannot imagine what club will take him now

Melbourne Rebels. Home to washed out stars of the tabloid press. They look like they're about to drop their current tabloid wasteofspace, so perhaps they'd like another.

Maybe Max Evans might start going out with Charlotte Church...

I do wonder. flee to the antipodes.

Idiot. I thought it all looked set up so nicely for him too, a good start at Toulon, a chance to break back into the Welsh squad...

I think it all a bit of a shame really. Very talented centre, still plenty to offer rugby but can't get his attitude sorted.
I was thinking the same as CFH in that he may well go to Oz. I have a feeling that wales will still take him to the WC though.
Has Powell still got a job?

Like AA I am a huge admirer of GH, one of the best players Wales have ever produced but enough is enough. I hope he finds whatever he is looking for but I am done with supporting him.

I am sure he will lose sleep over it 😉

I honestly can't understand his thought process.

Slagging off your team mates in a bar is not a great idea at the best of times but to directly slag off Jonny Wilkinson, who - despite anyone's personal view - is a man who has played at the very highest level and come away with the medals to prove he has the mental toughness to do so.

Can he not see that this perpetual 'bigging himself up' attitude can only carry you when you've actually got a very, very good record over a decent length of time, and even then it's not really a great idea.

The way i see it he seems to think rugby owes him a living because he has a talent, the problem is Gavin lots of other blokes do too and they work a LOT harder at it than you have been doing.

All that talent and he's blown it, he'll not go to this WC and i can't really see him anywhere near the Wales squad in 4 yrs time - in fact i'll be very surprised if he's even playing top flight rugby by then.

"Henson has had an attitude which has been difficult to manage," admitted Boudjellal on Friday.

"He's a cut above and makes me think of Sonny Bill Williams. They are boys who are cuts above. But sometimes they hit rock bottom."

[url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9465489.stm ]http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9465489.stm[/url]

Manager can't deal with demanding player, so the solution is to sack shocker!

The point is he doesn't have to. Henson was given a chance by a club who many very talented players would love to play for.
What I will say though is the toulon management were concerned that he would be going to the world cup and in my opinion, this affected the decision to sack him.

Maybe it's the attitude that makes him a cut above the rest.

The point is he doesn't have to.

Well he's not the best player on the planet (by some margin) and other better players seem to be able to hold down a job.

other better players

I heard someone compare and contrast him with BO'D. Both the same generation, similar positions, not too far apart in age.

One of them will be remembered as a great by everybody.

One of them will be remembered as a "could have been great" by some one-eyed welshmen 😉

One of them will be remembered as a great by everybody.

Not everybody, Darcy, not everybody.

One of them will be remembered as a "could have been great" by some one-eyed [s]w[/s][b]W[/b]elshmen

Not everybody, Darcy, not everybody.

Your opinion doesn't count flashy. You couldn't even dredge up the good grace to congratulate the Irish on their grand slam. If you don't think O'Driscoll is great, then, honestly, what the **** do you know at all?!?

Thing is DS, whether you like him or not Jonny Wilkinson has been (and continues to be) a huge draw at Toulon, having some new bloke come in and start slagging him off was never going to go down well.
Phillipe St Andre is no stranger to 'difficult' players as we saw from his time at Sale. PSA handled some players - Chabal for example - brilliantly, allowing him a little slack but always expecting him to step up and be a team player. Other players were out of the door, it depends on how they acted. PSA has a very low tolerance for violence from his players, one was fired after punching a visiting supporter who grabbed the player.

GH was pretty disinterested whilst at Sarries, that won't have gone unnoticed by PSA, it's a small world and players who are deemed to be lazy and/or have a bad attitude will get found out pretty quickly i think.

I honestly can't see how he can come back from this, if he'd kept his head down and worked hard, polishing his skills and letting his rugby do the talking he would have been most likely have been on the plane to NZ this autumn, instead he'll be sat at home wondering why he's been picked on again 🙄

Touched a nerve, have I, petal? 😉

Touched a nerve, have I, petal?

Actually no flashy, but I can remember how quiet you were the day we won it. No grace, that's your problem. Despite all that breeding you'd like to have STW think exists, you lack graciousness.

Oh and apologies to Simone for the lack of capital 😉 (Slap me again? 😉 ) x

Thing is DS, whether you like him or not Jonny Wilkinson has been (and continues to be) a huge draw at Toulon, having some new bloke come in and start slagging him off was never going to go down well.

one was fired after punching a visiting supporter who grabbed the player.

Proper bitch slapping for you sonny Jim.

Crikey, you remember that sort of thing? I may just have been in the pub, I really can't remember! Sorry if my silence offended you so....

🙂

It seems he fought with Matt Henjak and slagged off JW and the Toulon Captain Joe Van Neikerk. I rather suspect it was the insulting of his Club Captain rather than JW that upset PSA - along with the fighting of course.
He was annoyed at Sarries for not getting enough time in his 'preferred positions' - excuse me? You waltz out of Ospreys with your nose in the air after pee'ing off the club, spend 18 months fannying around then expect, nay, Demand that a Premiership Club should accomodate you rather than the other way around?
You then slink off to Toulon, a big club in a League most players would love to play in and the first thing you do is insult, upset and fight with your team mates???

The lad is an idiot i'm afraid, a great talent unfortunately wasted on an immature, spoilt brat.

So who's the prima donna then? Poor little Jonny...

and slagged off JW

pizzed off

See a pattern emerging? Is it all of the respective coaches and players faults for not making allowances?

An idiot and wasted talent for sure, but still managed to achieve more than most on the international scene - lions test caps and 2 grand slams.

I half expect another Premiership level team will be taking him on - we won't see him playing for Cornish Pirates anytime soon. Possibly on a pay as he plays deal, if that can be done.

and slagged off JW

WTF??

Nicholas Anelka? Ring any bells?

Anyway, it seems we may have jumped the gun;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/apr/26/toulon-gavin-henson