Rugby Union: Henson Injury Setback

Gavin Henson will miss the rest of the season after a recurrence of a knee injury in training that also makes him doubtful for Wales's summer tour to Australia and increases the prospect of the 25-year-old missing his second successive World Cup in France this autumn.

Henson has not played for Wales since November after first failing to impress the head coach, Gareth Jenkins, and then injuring his knee. Neither has he appeared for the Ospreys since the end of January, capping a miserable two years since helping Wales win the 2005 grand slam.

The Ospreys had hoped to include him in their squad for the EDF Energy Cup final against Leicester this month, but Henson, who sustained posterior cruciate ligament damage two months ago, failed to last a training session yesterday.

"Gavin has made a massive effort to get himself available for the EDF final, but, as is often the case with this type of injury, there is no substitute for prolonged physiotherapy," said the Ospreys' physiotherapist, Brian Downey. "Our focus will now be on getting him back to fitness as soon as possible, but as it is likely to take six to eight weeks his Ospreys season looks to have ended."

Henson missed the 2003 World Cup in Australia after being dropped from the squad by the then coach, Steve Hansen, and he said last year that his overriding ambition in the game was to go to France with Wales in September. Wales have three pre-tournament friendlies against France, Argentina and England, but Henson, who was told in February by Jenkins that he needed to recapture his form before being considered again for selection, does not have time on his side.

Meanwhile, Jason Robinson is to retire from club rugby at the end of this season.The 32-year-old captain of Sale Sharks plans to make his final Guinness Premiership appearance against Bath at Edgeley Park on April 13.

However, Robinson, who has won 43 caps and scored 26 Test tries, will be available for England throughout the summer and for the World Cup. If selected to travel to France, he intends retiring from the sport completely after the tournament is over.

Robinson said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sale Sharks, but the time has come to move on to other things. I want my last game for Sale Sharks to be a home game [versus Bath], and I want to be able to say a big thank-you to the supporters of this great club."

Robinson, who joined Sale from Wigan rugby league club in November 2000, has made 531 appearances in both codes of the game. His helped Sale land their first Premiership title last season.

The Scottish Rugby Union has defended its decision to axe the Border Reivers following criticism from the Edinburgh owner, Bob Carruthers. Its board has also backed the chief executive, Gordon McKie, following claims by Carruthers that the decision had been taken well before the results of a strategic review were revealed last Tuesday.

Carruthers said McKie had told him seven months ago that Borders would "almost certainly" be disbanded. An SRU statement "strongly refuted" the claims, which it said "potentially called into question the integrity" of McKie.

It continued: "The board stated that before it was formed in July 2005, too many SRU decisions were taken on emotional grounds for the short term and were not in the long-term best interests for the future health of the sport. This board is not prepared to follow suit."