Henson set for a return?

FORMER Wales rugby star Gavin Henson is considering a rugby return next season to play for the team where it all started for him.

Henson hopes to join Division Two West Central side Pencoed RFC for preseason training after the current campaign was scrapped amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It means the double Grand Slam winner could be lining up against the likes of Ystradgynlais, Resolven and Porthcawl later this year.

The 38-year-old has switched to playing football since September and now owns his own pub in St Brides Major, the village where he grew up.

But, despite taking on new challenges and initially leaving rugby behind following his departure from the Dragons last June, Henson is keen to return to the game.

“That opportunity is there for me. I haven’t closed the door on that.

“I think it is nice to have a break away from it.

Running a business is quite interestiing. It’s pretty similar in some ways and

I’m learning a lot.

“But I’m definitely going to get back into rugby. I just haven’t had chance to go to the gym and unless I do weights then it is too dangerous to play rugby in my eyes and my body.

“I’m hoping to get back in the gym at some point and I’m thinking of starting a pre-season with Pencoed, the team I started with. It would be nice to give something back to them.”

The current lockdown situation has led to the temporary closure of Henson’s pub, The Fox, although he has now launched a delivery service.

Henson intends to use the downtime to get back in shape after a hectic period of his life that has also seen him get married to wife Katie, who co-owns and runs the pub.

Henson is one of a number of Wales internationals who started life at Pencoed RFC, with the likes of Scott Gibbs, Gareth Thomas and Gareth Cooper also coming through the ranks.

Scrum-half Cooper actually returned to the club to play a few matches in 2016, seven years after retirement.