Aviva Premiership
Henson set for Bath switch
ESPN Staff
April 22, 2013
London Welsh fly-half Gavin Henson lines up a penalty kick in his first start for the Exiles, London Welsh v Saracens, Aviva Premiership, Kassam Stadium, Oxford, England, October 7, 2012.
Could London Welsh's Gavin Henson be set for a switch to Premiership rivals Bath next season? © Getty Images
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Gavin Henson's clubs

  • Llanelli - 2000
  • Swansea - 2000-03
  • Ospreys - 2003-09
  • Saracens - 2010-11
  • Toulon - 2011
  • Cardiff Blues - 2011-12
  • London Welsh - 2012-

Gavin Henson is reportedly on the verge of moving from London Welsh to Premiership rivals Bath.

The former Wales international could complete the switch this week with The Times reporting that the well-travelled 31-year-old is poised to put pen to paper on a two-year deal with what would be his eighth club.

The newspaper claims that Henson, who has made 11 appearances for the Exiles during an injury-blighted campaign but was unable to prevent them from being relegated, has met with Bath boss Gary Gold who believes the player's heavily publicised troubles are behind him.

Henson made his name with the Ospreys and was a key figure in Wales' Grand Slams in 2005 and 2008. He also toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2005 but his career has since been blighted by injury, off-field incidents and forgettable stints at Saracens, Toulon and Cardiff Blues.

But Bath appear to still value the player and in particular his experience. Henson has played mostly at fly-half throughout his career but Gold sees him as an inside centre who could help bring out the best of rising stars such as current No.10 Tom Heathcote and Leicester Tigers playmaker George Ford, who is also expected to join the club in the summer, with his goal-kicking ability another potential asset.

Bath are currently seventh in the Premiership with victory over Leicester on Saturday keeping their hopes of a top six finish and securing Heineken Cup qualification alive. They travel to Saracens in the last round of the regular season although should the current leaders win the Heineken Cup this season then the Premiership will be granted an extra qualification place.

Gold is currently overhauling his squad with a host of departures confirmed last week including scrum-half Michael Claassens, fly-half Stephen Donald and former Scotland international back-row Simon Taylor.

Henson has previously been linked with a move away from the Kassam Stadium with a number of English and French clubs thought to be interested in his services and London Welsh revealed last week that they would not stand in the way of any player who wanted to leave following their relegation.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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