Henson made his international return against the Barbarians earlier this month © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Gavin Henson

Teams: Wales

Gavin Henson is facing a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Wales' first pre-World Cup training camp in Spala, Poland next month.

The headline-grabbing 29-year-old, who made a low-key return to the international stage against the Barbarians earlier this month, is currently training on his own having committed to film Channel 5 dating show The Bachelor. He will link up with the rest of the preliminary 45-man Wales squad on June 30 and will then be tested to check out his fitness.

The Wales on Sunday reports that if he doesn't meet the targets that have been set for him then he will not be considered for the trip to Spala that starts on July 2. Such a scenario would leave him playing catch-up in terms of preparation and facing an even bigger battle to see off his rivals and force his way into the World Cup reckoning.

The WRU's head of strength and conditioning, Adam Beard, has been charged with keeping tabs on Henson and is using Skype to keep a close eye on his progress. "It's a very detailed programme he's been given," said Beard. "I'm in touch with him a couple of times a week. Skype is really good. It enables me to have a look how he's going. He talks about his running and that sort of thing. Sometimes he videos a clip of his running for me. Remote coaching isn't new. It's quite good."

Henson has already endured two weeks of personal training with Beard and made a significant impression on the Australian. "I got him over here before the Barbarians game and he gave me 13 or 14 training days," said Beard. "We tested him and analysed all his running and stuff like that and he was around about there in terms of fitness. His weight was pretty good. The guy seems to always keep himself in shape. That's good for me. I know he hasn't played a lot of rugby, but everyone goes into off-season not playing. So he will be at the same level as everyone else in that sense. Everything I've asked him to do so far he's done."

Beard is also confident that together they can combat Henson's injury woes. "I've given him a specific training programme for his running," added Beard. "There are things in his running I definitely think we can help him with in terms of injury prevention. He's had a lot of lower leg problems."

Fellow fitness concerns Shane Williams and Adam Jones are also set to join up with the squad on May 30 and face the same make-or-break testing awaiting Henson. "The three of them have had various commitments and different things arranged, which has meant them being away," said Beard. "I've given them all specific programmes. I am in contact with them and I send them words of encouragement! They trained really hard when they were in last month and all met their targets before leaving. They need to maintain those levels now and keep developing.

"They can't slacken off. If any of them do, it's going to be to their detriment because we have got a lot of competition for places. When they come in on June 30, they will be tested to see if they are of standard that they can go to Poland. That's D-Day for them.

"We've set them targets and they have to meet those targets. If they don't meet them, then they don't come to Spala. And if you don't come to Spala, when you were scheduled to do so, then you are trouble in terms of not coming to the World Cup. You are behind everyone else. You are not in the coaches' eyes. You are not in the national programme.

"The players are very aware of that. They need to attain an entry level to go to Poland. Spala is not a camp to get in shape. It's an advanced training camp for the World Cup. We have to make sure we are in really good shape to take advantage of the facilities there, like the cryotherapy. We want to push it.

"I've got to be hard on the guys because there's a big carrot at the end of it and we expect to go well. I am a very strict taskmaster. As Warren (Gatland) always says, we owe it to the red shirt. We want to win. We can't compromise on fitness. Fitness should be a given. We can't have guys that are not fit, strong, powerful or fast."