Blues can drunken Henson
Welsh international Gavin Henson had his Cardiff Blues contract torn up over his drunken behaviour at the weekend.
The controversial 30-year-old Welsh centre, who apologised for drinking and “behaving inappropriately” on a team flight back from Glasgow on Saturday morning, was suspended by his club side for the incident.
On Monday they revealed that – following a management meeting on Monday morning – the Blues dismissed him with immediate effect.
Speaking of the decision Cardiff Blues CEO Richard Holland said: “The Cardiff Blues management have discussed the matter at length but have acted swiftly since the incident occurred on Saturday morning.
“Gavin admitted himself that his behaviour was totally unacceptable and the immediate termination of his contract sends out a clear message that behaviour like that will not be tolerated at the Blues.
“We have a duty to our supporters and sponsors to protect the good name of Cardiff Blues and those associated with our brand.
“Gavin Henson is obviously a talented rugby player and it’s unfortunate that his career at the Blues has ended this way.
“However, we would like to thank him for his service and wish him the best of luck with his future career.”
Henson admitted he had been out drinking in Glasgow on last Friday night, following the Blues’ game against Glasgow Warriors and had stupidly carried on drinking on the flight.
“I know that I have let my teammates, coaches, management, sponsors and indeed my family down with my actions. Drinking on that plane was inexcusable and I know that I must take responsibility for it,” Henson said in a statement at the weekend.
Henson, capped 33 times by Wales, signed for Cardiff in October on a short-term contract, after brief spells with Saracens and Toulon following his 2010 departure from Welsh regional side the Ospreys.
He was named in Wales’ provisional 45-man squad for the World Cup but a wrist injury ended his hopes of going to New Zealand.
First capped as a 19-year-old in 2001, he became known internationally when he kicked a huge penalty as Wales beat England 11-9 to win their 2005 Six Nations opener and so pave the way for a first Welsh Grand Slam in 27 years.
Selection for the ill-fated 2005 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand followed before Henson had to apologise to his team-mates for comments made in his book ‘My Grand Slam Year’ and shortly after he was banned for seven weeks for elbowing Leicester prop Alex Moreno.
Henson was back to his best in Wales’ 2008 Six Nations Grand Slam.
But injuries and a subsequent self-imposed exile from rugby interrupted his career, with Henson becoming better known to the general public for his appearances on several British ‘reality’ television programmes.
Having left the Ospreys in October 2010, Henson joined Saracens – for whom he played just four times – and Toulon in quick succession as he tried to win a place in Wales’s World Cup squad.
But although he scored a try on debut in France, Henson was released by Toulon at the end of the season after a nightclub brawl with his teammates.
AFP and rugby365.com
