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Gavin Henson Profile |
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Birth Date: February 1, 1982
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Birth Place: Bridgend, Wales, UK
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Birth Name: Gavin Lloyd Henson
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Height: 6'0"
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Biography |
Gavin Lloyd Henson (born February 1, 1982 in Bridgend) is a
Welsh rugby union player who plays for the Ospreys regional
side in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup, and the national
team. He attracted much media attention in the 2004-2005
rugby season, in which he was part of a Wales team which
achieved a long-sought Grand Slam in the Six Nations
Championship. He has also played for the British and Irish
Lions, touring in 2005 to New Zealand.
Henson has played in a variety of positions including
fly-half, fullback and inside centre. He usually plays on
the Welsh team as inside centre. His relationship with
girlfriend Charlotte Church is well covered by the media in
the United Kingdom. He appears in adverts for Nike Pro and
for one of the Wales rugby sponsors, Brains brewery.
Gavin Henson's father, Alan Henson, captained Heol-y-Cyw and
Maesteg, so rugby was in the family. Gavin played rugby for
his school, Brynteg Comprehensive, in Bridgend, south Wales.
Despite his Bridgend origins, he joined Swansea RFC at the
age of 18. He was promptly the International Rugby Board's
"Young Player Of The Year" in 2001. During which time he had
started paving the way to his international career by
signing for the Wales A team. He made his international
debut for Wales during June of 2001 in a Test against Japan,
coming off the bench. He then started his next match, at
fly-half in a game against Romania in September. In November
of that year he played for Wales A against Uruguay, scoring
his first try in an international.
In 2003 regional rugby was launched in Wales, and Henson now
played for the Ospreys. He made his debut for the Ospreys
off the bench on September 9, 2003 in a match against
Ulster, scoring two tries and kicking both a penalty and
conversion to score 15 points. He was elevated to fly-half
for the subsequent match against the Newport-Gwent Dragons,
scoring 14 points from kicks in that game as well. 2003 also
saw Henson return to the international field for Wales. He
played twice, though he was on the bench for another two
Tests. He was capped against both the All Blacks and
Romania.
Henson came to wider notice in 2004 with a series of
excellent performances in Wales' autumn internationals
against New Zealand and South Africa. Henson became a firm
part of the Welsh starting lineup, and after playing at
fullback in the second Test against Argentina and the first
against South Africa, he remained in the centres for the
remainder of the season.
He remained on the team for the 2005 Six Nations
championship. In Wales' opening fixture in February, at home
to England, Henson gave an effective performance culminating
in a successful 44m penalty kick and much media attention.
Back in his club side, Henson was part of a team which took
the Celtic League cup: in the deciding match (Ospreys v
Edinburgh, 26 March 2005), he scored 24 of his side's 29
points.
In the (northern hemisphere) summer of the same year, Henson
was a member of the Lions tour of New Zealand. He was
"devastated not to be playing" in the first Test. When he
did get selected for the second test he was unfortunately
injured and could not play in the final test. A groin injury
delayed his return to club rugby in the autumn of the year.
Within months of his Ospreys return, Henson was cited
(reported following a game for events during it) for kicking
and elbowing an opponent in a game against Leicester on
December 19, 2005. He was found not guilty of the kicking
offence, but guilty of the elbowing. He was initially
suspended for ten weeks and two days: this period was
reduced on appeal to seven weeks. Following this suspension
and a single game at club level, he returned to
international rugby against Ireland but did not shine.
In October 2005 Henson's My Grand Slam Year (ISBN
0-00-721686-6), was published. Comments about the Lions tour
and remarks about other players ensured rapid publicity and
Henson had to apologise to his team-mates.
Henson was received a 10-week suspension from rugby in late
2005 and was found guilty of elbowing another playing during
a match against Leicester . The ban went into the 2006 Six
Nations, seeing Henson on the sidelines for Wales for the
games against England and Scotland.
Henson's gelled hair, tanned skin, shaved legs and silver
(variously golden) boots made him of instant interest to
those members of the British media who did not normally
cover Welsh rugby. He was dubbed "Gazza" (as had the soccer
player Paul Gascoigne before him). A romance with Cardiff
singer Charlotte Church ("Chazza"), a tabloid favourite,
ensured this interest endured. He appears in adverts for
Nike Pro and for one of the Wales rugby sponsors, Brains
brewery. |
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Other Information |
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Welsh rugby player for the Neath Swansea Ospreys and Wales. |
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