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Henson wants 10 out of 10
13/03/2008 13:18 - (SA)
Cardiff - Gavin Henson will be looking for a "10 out of 10" effort in more ways than one when Wales bid to complete a Six Nations Grand Slam against France at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
The Wales centre has been on the winning team in all nine of the previous Six Nations where he has been a member of the starting side.
If that run continues this weekend, Henson, who has been quietly effective in midfield this season, will have been involved in 10 straight championship wins as well as two Grand Slams, after starring in Wales's 2005 triumph.
"I am aware of that record," Henson said on Wednesday. "I didn't really want anyone to know until the end of the campaign but people seem to have picked up on it.
"I hope to make it 10 out of 10 this weekend. There is one more to go and we all hope we can do it. It is great to be involved."
Not until Wales's new coach Warren Gatland took charge at the start of this season had Henson started a Six Nations match since the 2005 campaign.
Lacklustre tour
The so-called 'golden boy' of Welsh rugby had infuriated teammates with a some candid comments published in an autobiography after the 2005 season while team management despaired of the off-field attention generated by his relationship with Welsh singer and television personality Charlotte Church.
In common with several players he had a lacklustre tour of New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions before injuries kept him short of matches until the start of this season.
His career suffered another blow last year when he was left out of Wales's World Cup squad by then coach Gareth Jenkins while other players were given an extended period to prove their fitness.
For Henson, also left out of the 2003 World Cup squad, it was tough to take.
"I haven't been involved that much in the last couple of years. I feel I should have had a lot more caps," Henson said.
"I am just trying to take my chance and stay in there. I am not coming to the end of my career and I just want to get as many caps as I can."
But New Zealander Gatland is in no doubt that Henson can become the best player in his favoured position of inside centre.
'Good chance'
"It is a nice hurdle to get over if a coach comes in and speaks highly of you," said 26-year-old Ospreys back Henson.
"You know you have a good chance of being involved then. And if he has that faith in you, you don't want to let him down.
Henson's centre partner Tom Shanklin said: "He hasn't really been hitting the headlines too much but the way he has been playing has been fantastic.
"Since 2005, he has matured as a player. He has always been a fantastic trainer but with the analysing he does now he just seems a highly motivated player."
Henson turned in a fine display as Wales clinched the Triple Crown with a 16-12 victory over Ireland in Dublin last weekend.
There were two stand-out moments, the first a huge 70m touch finder which put Ireland under pressure when Wales were a man down after scrum-half Mike Phillips had been sin-binned.
The second was a thumping tackle on powerful Ireland wing Shane Horgan.
"He lined him right up - and that kind of tackle always lifts the team," said Shanklin.
France could yet deprive Wales of the title if they win by 20 points or by 19 and score more tries on Saturday.
"It will be one hell of a match," said Henson. "It will be a test against France as they are good athletes but we are a fit team. We are much fitter than any other team and we have proved that."
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Rugby
