Rugby Union: Henson Hoping to Tame Tigers

The Wales centre Gavin Henson is set to make his first appearance tomorrow since his ill-fated tour to New Zealand with the Lions last summer. The 23-year-old, who has been out of action since an operation on his groin in September, has been named on the bench by the Ospreys for the Heineken Cup pool match against Leicester at Welford Road.

Although Henson has not been playing, he has rarely been out of the headlines due to his relationship with the singer Charlotte Church and his autobiography, which was published two months ago and earned him a rebuke from his colleagues in the Wales squad who were less than impressed with its revelatory nature.

The Ospreys' captain Barry Williams is concerned that the attention surrounding Henson will not only detract from his team but will burden the player with too much pressure. "It is Hensonmania at the moment, but there is no one player in our squad who is more important than any other," said Williams, the former Wales international hooker and a 1997 Lion. "Gavin is a great player, but the attention this weekend should be our European campaign and the tough match we face at Leicester. It is the Heineken Cup, not the Gavin Henson show. You do not hear about Wayne Rooney all the time with Manchester United and it should never be about one player.

"Gavin will need time to settle back in and he does not need the extra pressure which is being placed on him. If he comes on as a replacement, he has to remember to be one of the Ospreys. I'm sure he doesn't want to be known as the big star. He is one of the team and the sooner people let him be, the better for him. I wouldn't like to have the hassle he's got to put up with."

Henson was due to make his comeback at Bristol in the Powergen Cup last Sunday, but he hurt his back in training and sat out the match. "Gavin is very keen to play," said the Ospreys' head coach Lyn Jones. "He has had a difficult six months off the field and he wants to get back on there and help us do well in the Heineken Cup and the Celtic league before getting his place back with Wales."

The Leicester and Wales prop Darren Morris, who was among a number of players singled out for criticism by Henson in his book, believes his former Swansea colleague will have to prove himself again. "Gavin will have to suffer whatever consequences there are," said Morris. "He was within his rights to write a book, but whether he should have done it so early in his career and whether he should have commented on other players in the manner he did is another matter. It has done him more harm than good and, perhaps, he has been a fool to himself."

The England back-row Joe Worsley is also returning from injury this weekend. He missed last month's internationals after injuring his knee in October and will be part of the Wasps' forward pack tomorrow when they visit Llanelli Scarlets in the Heineken Cup. "Joe was playing outstandingly well before he was injured and it is a huge boost to have him back," said the Wasps' director of rugby Ian McGeechan.

The England hopeful Alex Brown returns today after avoiding neck surgery that could have ended his season. The Gloucester lock missed England's autumn Test series, just as he appeared to be on the verge of winning his first cap. A damaged disc in his neck wrecked those chances, giving Bath's Steve Borthwick an opporutnity to forge an international second-row partnership with club colleague Danny Grewcock. Brown, who will certainly feature in the England coach Andy Robinson's Six Nations plans, sets out on the comeback trail when Gloucester visit European Challenge Cup opponents Toulon.

"I am just really pleased the rehab has gone so well," he said. "There was a very real possibility - it was a 50-50 situation -that I might have required an operation, but we opted for the natural process and it has paid off. My initial aim was to be fit for the Wasps Guinness Premiership game on Boxing Day, but if I can get 40 minutes here and 40 minutes there, then that will stand me in good stead."

Newcastle travel to Italy for their Challenge Cup match with L'Aquila today, while Northampton host Narbonne. The Saints need a win after losing to Bristol, their Pool One rivals.