In The Scotsman, Allan Massie airs his scepticism over Gavin Henson’s imminent return to rugby, casting doubt on whether he’ll recover his former world-class status.
"The old adage used to be "they never come back". It's as true, or untrue, as most of such sayings. We can all think of some individuals, in a variety of sports, who have indeed made a successful return after retirement or long absence as a result of injury.
Down in Wales just now there's a like clamour for the return of Gavin Henson for the Six Nations, even though it's almost two years since he played a game of rugby. There's word that he may play for his new club, Saracens, on Boxing Day. Perhaps he will, but I'll be surprised if he doesn't struggle. Henson of course is still quite young - only 28 - and was a very fine player, if not a great one; but it will be hard for him to pick up where he left off, and it would be no great surprise if he played a few games for Saracens and then dropped out again. It depends on how much he wants it, but a few weeks of Strictly, Come Dancing are scarcely adequate preparation for top-class rugby.
JPR Williams was a greater player than Henson, but when the Welsh selectors brought him back for a match at Murrayfield in 1981 after he had been out of international rugby for a couple of years, he had a terrible time and it was painful to watch."
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