Gavin Henson
Gavin Henson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gavin Lloyd Henson February 1, 1982 Pencoed, Wales |
| Occupation(s) | Rugby union player, Television personality |
| Years active | 2000–2019 (rugby union), 2020–present (rugby league), 2010–present (television) |
| Known for | Welsh international rugby union player; appearances on reality TV shows including 71 Degrees North, Strictly Come Dancing, The Bachelor UK, Celebrity Hunted |
Gavin Lloyd Henson (born 1 February 1982) is a former Welsh professional rugby union athlete known for playing primarily as a fly-half, fullback, and inside centre.
Between 2000 and 2019, Henson represented various clubs including Llanelli, Swansea, Ospreys, Saracens, Toulon, Cardiff Blues, London Welsh, Bath, Bristol, and Dragons.
He earned 33 international caps for Wales along with one appearance for the British & Irish Lions. Henson played a significant role in Wales' Grand Slam triumphs during the Six Nations Championships in 2005 and 2008 and participated in the Lions' 2005 tour to New Zealand.
From 2010 onward, Henson ventured into reality television, featuring on shows such as 71 Degrees North, Strictly Come Dancing, The Bachelor UK, and Celebrity Hunted. In 2021, he made a switch to rugby league by joining West Wales Raiders competing in League 1.
Llanelli RFC: 2000
Henson appeared once for Llanelli RFC in May 2000 against Border Reivers at Greenyards. The match ended with a 51–23 defeat for Llanelli. Playing at fly-half (number 10), he contributed 5 points through one conversion and one penalty.
Swansea/Ospreys: 2000–2009
Originating from Pencoed, Henson developed his rugby skills at Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend, Wales. Despite his Bridgend roots, he joined Swansea RFC at age 18 and was honored with the International Rugby Board's Young Player of the Year award in 2001. His international journey began with Wales A before making his senior debut for Wales in June 2001 against Japan, later starting at fly-half versus Romania.
In November 2001, Henson scored his first try for Wales A in a match against Uruguay. With the introduction of Welsh regional rugby in 2003, he represented the Ospreys, making his debut off the bench against Ulster where he scored 15 points. Quickly establishing himself as a fly-half, he returned to the senior Welsh squad that year to face opponents including the All Blacks and Romania.
Henson gained broader acclaim during the 2004 autumn internationals for Wales against New Zealand and South Africa. Becoming a regular starter, he alternated between fullback and centre positions throughout that season. During the 2005 Six Nations Championship, he delivered an outstanding display against England by kicking the decisive penalty and earning man of the match recognition. At club level, he was pivotal to Ospreys’ Celtic League championship victory in March 2005, contributing 24 of their total 29 points in the final.
Chosen for the British & Irish Lions’ 2005 tour of New Zealand, Henson missed key test matches due to injury. Later that year, he faced disciplinary measures after being cited for elbowing an opponent during a game against Leicester Tigers; following an appeal process, he served a seven-week suspension before returning to international competition against Ireland.
In October 2005, Henson released My Grand Slam Year, which stirred controversy owing to remarks about teammates and the Lions tour; this resulted in public apologies from him. He was excluded from Wales’ squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup after failing to demonstrate fitness following an Achilles injury but was subsequently recalled by caretaker coach Nigel Davies.
Henson started every match during Wales’ successful Grand Slam campaign in the 2008 Six Nations Championship. His first defeat as a starter in this tournament came on 21 March 2009 when Ireland overcame Wales to claim their own Grand Slam.
Sabbatical: 2009–2010
On 13 July 2009, the British tabloid The Sun reported that Henson had retired from rugby immediately; however, both he and the Ospreys quickly refuted this claim. Henson affirmed his intention to continue playing despite ongoing injury challenges. During that period, Crusaders RL, competing in the Super League, showed interest in Henson switching codes to rugby league, yet he did not pursue this path, although he did attend several of their games in 2009.
Comeback: 2010–2019
On 27 October 2010, the Ospreys announced they had released Henson from his contract, confirming his return to professional rugby with Saracens after an 18-month break. He made his Saracens debut on Boxing Day 2010 but was let go after appearing in just four matches by February 2011.
Shortly thereafter, Henson secured a five-month contract with RC Toulonnais of the French Top 14 to cover for injured players within the squad. Despite facing suspension due to an incident at a nightclub, he was reinstated but ultimately released in May 2011.
Henson rejoined international competition in June 2011 against the Barbarians and was selected for Wales' initial Rugby World Cup squad. Unfortunately, a wrist injury sustained during a warm-up game prevented him from participating in the pool stage matches. In October 2011, he signed an eight-month contract with Cardiff Blues but was released in April 2012 following misconduct on a flight, which also resulted in a six-month ban from the airline.
In July 2012, Henson signed with London Welsh for the 2012/13 Premiership season after their promotion. Following London Welsh’s relegation in 2013, he moved to Bath Rugby, expressing eagerness to compete at top-tier level. Despite an off-field incident shortly after joining Bath, his performance improved significantly, leading him to decline an extension offer from Newport Gwent Dragons.
Henson was named in Wales' Probables squad for a trial match in May 2014 but was unable to take part due to Premiership release restrictions imposed by his club.
In January 2015, he agreed to join Bristol Rugby of the RFU Championship on a one-year contract and was released early from Bath in February to commence playing for Bristol immediately.
On 14 March 2017, Henson returned to Wales by signing a two-year deal with the Dragons competing in the Pro14 for the 2017–18 season.
International tries
| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Date | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Ru | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium |
|
Loss | ||
| 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Template:Ru | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium |
|
Rugby league
Following his release from the Dragons in 2019, Henson retired from professional rugby and invested in a pub business. In September 2020, he signed with rugby league club West Wales Raiders, competing in Betfred League 1, the third tier of the sport. He made his debut during a Challenge Cup fixture on 21 March 2021, which ended in a heavy 4–58 home defeat against Widnes Vikings, and has not played since.
In popular media
In 2010, Henson appeared on ITV1's 71 Degrees North, where he finished as runner-up. He also took part in the eighth series of BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Katya Virshilas. In August 2011, he featured on Channel 5's The Bachelor, filmed along the French Riviera. These television appearances attracted criticism from both media outlets and rugby supporters.
Henson is mentioned in the 2010 parody track "Newport (Ymerodraeth State of Mind)", although South Wales band Goldie Lookin Chain noted that he "rarely ventured to Newport."
Personal life
Henson's relationship with vocalist Charlotte Church garnered considerable media coverage. Their daughter, Ruby Megan, was born on 20 September 2007. Due to Church going into early labor, Henson was absent from a Heineken Cup fixture on 13 December 2008; however, the delivery was postponed. On 11 January 2009, their son was born. The couple parted ways on 31 May 2010, which was two months following their engagement announcement.
In 2011, Henson took part in the reality television program The Bachelor, where he selected Carianne Barrow as his partner; they ended their relationship in March 2012.
On 28 September 2019, Henson wed his longtime partner Katie Wilson Mould at St Michael's and All Angels Church, Guiting Power, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Katie is the daughter of businessman and racehorse owner Raymond Mould. The pair welcomed their first son in December 2020. Earlier, in May 2019, Henson acquired ownership of the Fox and Hounds pub located in St Brides Major, Vale of Glamorgan, which he rebranded as The Fox following renovations and enhancements to the dining facilities.
Television appearances
- 71 Degrees North (ITV, 2010)
- Strictly Come Dancing (BBC, 2010)
- The Bachelor (Channel 5, 2011)
- Hunted (Channel 4, 2019)