Henson struck down by calf injury

Rugby:Gavin Henson's hopes of playing in his first Six Nations Championship for three years are hanging in the balance because of injury.

The Cardiff Blues back was an 11th hour withdrawal from their team which lost to RaboDirect Pro12 leaders Leinster 23-29 yesterday because of a minor calf strain. The 29-year-old has played twice since dislocating a wrist against England in August and hoped for a Wales recall.

Henson is a doubt for the Blues’ Heineken Cup clash with London Irish on Saturday. He had been hoping to impress Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Blues’ final European fixtures against the Exiles and Racing Metro ahead of the Welsh Six Nations squad announcement on January 22nd.

Gatland had spoken about Henson’s possible Six Nations inclusion before the double Grand Slam winner suffered his latest injury setback. “Hopefully he will not pick up any more injuries in the next couple of weeks.

“He gives us options not just in the midfield but we know he has played at fullback and he can potentially play at 10 as well. We know what a quality player he has been in the past when he is fit.”

Wales are already without first choice secondrows Luke Charteris and Alun Wyn Jones for the start of their Six Nations campaign after they underwent wrist and toe surgery respectively; although Ospreys lock Jones could return in the middle of the tournament.

Lock Bradley Davies is also an injury concern for Wales after being withdrawn from Blues team to face Leinster because of a back problem. Jamie Roberts will miss Blues’ trip to London Irish but the British and Irish Lions centre is expected to be fit for the European visit of French side Racing Metro on January 22nd and Wales’ opening Six Nations game against Ireland at the Aviva stadium on February 5th.

Henson’s last Six Nations appearance was in Wales’ 17-15 defeat to Ireland in Cardiff in March 2009 as the Irish won their first Grand Slam in 61 years. It was the first time in 12 starts that Henson, who memorably kicked a last gasp penalty to beat England in 2005 on his Six Nations debut, had lost a Six Nations fixture.

The 33-cap Welshman played his first test for almost two and a half years in Wales’ 19-9 pre-World Cup win over England in August after returning from a high profile rugby sabbatical.