Henson poised for Toulon move

Toulon are today expected to announce the signing of Gavin Henson after the Wales centre was last night released from his Saracens contract.

Reports had yesterday suggested that the 29-year-old was set to make a move to the Top 14 club, home of England internationals Jonny Wilkinson and Paul Sackey, on a short-term deal until the end of the season after meeting with their millionaire owner Mourad Boudjellal.

Henson had left the Ospreys to sign for Saracens until the end of the current campaign in October, but a statement from the Aviva Premiership club read: “Gavin Henson has asked to be released from his contract with immediate effect. The club has agreed to his request.”

Chairman Nigel Wray added: “We wish Gavin all the best for the future as he continues his return to the highest level of the game.”

The news comes as a major surprise with the 31-cap centre having made just four appearances for Saracens since making his debut as a replacement against Wasps on Boxing Day at Wembley.

He made just one start, an anonymous 53-minute outing in the Premiership defeat to Sale at Edgeley Park.

Henson had hoped that his return to the game would be enough to convince Wales head coach Warren Gatland to include him in his squad for the upcoming RBS 6 Nations championship.

But a calf injury suffered almost three weeks ago against Leinster in the Heineken Cup extinguished his hopes of selection.

Henson had also voiced his concern at not being given any game time at Saracens in his preferred positions of fly-half and inside centre, saying last month: “I need to be starting for Saracens to be in the Wales squad.

“I was hoping it would be in time for next month, but I am running out of time. I like to play inside centre, a playmaker role and get the ball in the hand a lot more.

“That’s quite tough at the moment, but I am doing everything I can to try to hopefully make the coach select me as a 10 or 12.

“I have hardly played, but I would like to think I will be good when I get my chance. I think that my skills are there. I just need game time.”

Saracens instead opted to use the 2005 Lions tourist as an outside centre with Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt filling their inside-back positions.

Toulon have the space in their squad to accommodate Henson as they have lost Felipe Contepomi to injury and Wilkinson is away on RBS 6 Nations duty with England, and they were already thought to be interested in signing the Welshman for next season.

A move would potentially allow Henson to play in his preferred roles and boost his chances of making a first World Cup appearance in New Zealand later this year.

He would also join a growing Welsh contingent who will ply their trade in France.

Former Ospreys team-mates James Hook and Lee Byrne have recently confirmed their moves to Perpignan and Clermont Auvergne respectively, with scrum-half Mike Phillips also being linked with a move overseas.