Attack best form of defence for Henson
A well-deserved try in each half of the 26-16 victory over Southland was a timely contribution just hours before the Lions first Test team would be named with him seemingly missing from the list.
“It’s just nice to score two tries, my first for the Lions. It was good,” began Henson. “Obviously I was disappointed not being in the Test squad but that’s life.
“I just loving playing rugby and it was nice to play a game to get it out of my mind. It wasn’t hard to get up for the game.”
Henson was a constant problem to the home side in attack, using his strength and speed to breach the gain line regularly while still providing good ball to his team-mates in the tackle.
When asked what he had to do to get in the Test squad he confessed he hadn’t a clue but midweek defensive coach Mike Ford implied Henson was going for spectacular hits rather than completing tackles.
Ford also suggested that Henson’s inability to adjust to the English and Irish systems employed by himself and Phil Larder was perhaps the reason for his apparent exclusion.
“Gavin is a very strong one-on-one defender. But I think he has it in his mind at times to go for the big shot and try and hurt the attacker. That’s fine at times but it’s something he’s going to have to work very hard on.
“We think Gavin’s a fine defender, certainly his decision-making since he came out on the tour has improved 100% but it’s just a small matter of him completing the tackle.
“Wales play a different defence from England and Ireland and it’s difficult for the Welsh lads to come into a system where you’ve got the English and Irish defence coaches.”
The Saracens-bound coach then gave Henson some good news, saying: “It’s taken time but we’ve worked very hard with him and he’s one of the best defenders from a one-on-one perspective. I wouldn’t say it’s a deficiency.”
Former All Black full-back and Southland co-coach Simon Culhane was impressed with Henson.
“He’s very strong and a quality player,” said Culhane said, “a bit of a handful for our midfield. He surprised me with his strength with the ball in hand.”
Lions midweek coach Ian McGeechan was not getting so carried away. “He took his tries well and did a lot of good things. Clive will give you all the reasons (for his selection against Southland), I think it’s just a question of a comparison with other players that were up for the midfield positions and what’s on offer from a starting line-up or off the bench. There’s parts of his game we still want to improve and parts that work very well.”
When it was Henson’s turn to face the music he filed in dutifully beside captain Michael Owen, vice-captain Ronan O’Gara and flanker Lewis Moody. But there was only one player the majority of journalists wanted to talk to.
Was there any off-the-field reason why he was omitted from the Test 22, asked Sky News. Gavin pondered the question for long enough to let the audience start imagining every conceivable indiscretion but he broke his silence in withering style.
Henson looked his accuser in the eye and said: “That’s a stupid question,” leaving the squaddies on the top table to giggle into their Lions blazers.
Henson added: “I believe I am good enough to be in the side and I have just got to do my best. It is out of my hands now.
“I feel I am playing quite well. I only played 60 minutes of the first game after two months out, and it was nice to play 80 today. I just feel I am getting more and more confident the more I am playing.”
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