Gatland waits on Henson fitness

WALES head coach Warren Gatland admits it is a case of “wait and see” on Gavin Henson’s fitness for the Millennium Stadium showdowns against New Zealand and Australia.

Ospreys star Henson is set to undergo a scan and visit a specialist this week, as he seeks to address an ongoing achilles problem which meant he withdrew from Saturday’s narrow defeat at the hands of world champions South Africa less than 24 hours before kick-off.

He was not considered for this Friday night’s clash with Canada, raising concerns over his availability when New Zealand arrive on November 22 and then Australia seven days later.

Wales attack coach Rob Howley claimed last week that Henson felt he was not physically and mentally prepared to face the Springboks.

It sparked media speculation about 26-year-old Henson’s state of mind, but Gatland said yesterday: “Is there some sort of conspiracy theory that you guys are trying to dream up?

“He (Howley) was talking about his frame of mind in terms of self-belief or confidence. He was purely relating it to the injury. Gavin has got to see a specialist, and when I hear back from the specialist, I will be able to make an opinion. It is just wait and see.

“Gavin is the type of player that needs to be 100% fit when he plays. If he is carrying a niggle, some players are like that, they don’t have the confidence to go out and play if they are not 100% fit.

“Like all players, when you come back from an injury, you haven’t played a lot of games and you get thrown into big Test matches, there are going to be a couple of doubts.’’

Henson, who suffered a serious ankle injury towards the end of last season, has not played for Wales since March.

The RBS Six Nations title and Grand Slam-clinching victory over France was his last Test appearance.

If Henson is ruled out of the All Blacks and Wallabies games, then the earliest he could return to international duty would be Wales’ Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 8.

Meanwhile Martin Roberts will make his Wales debut this week in a dress rehearsal for the full-scale Millennium Stadium production that awaits him later this month.

Gatland looks certain to be without both premier scrum-halves — Lions Gareth Cooper and Dwayne Peel – for the November 29 clash against Australia.

Because the Wallabies encounter – Wales’ fourth November Test – falls outside the International Rugby Board’s autumn window, their respective Guinness Premiership clubs Sale Sharks and Gloucester have first call that weekend.