Happy Christmas, Mr Henson

So Henson’s year ends as it started, under an injury cloud, with doubts over his team ethic, but in the news.

This time he’s accused of being involved in some oafish behaviour on the train back from the victory over Harlequins that put the Ospreys in to the semi finals of the EDF. Good thing, too, or the suffix “Anglo-Welsh Cup” would have looked a little foolish.

Before our Gav is hung out to dry by the loose alliance of hangers and floggers who follow his every move (ranging from the Osprey supporters who say “We’ve got Hook, we’ve got Parker – do we need him ?” to the rugby men of past generations who distrust any player who has the time and the means to worry about waxing his legs), let us pause, in a festive display of goodwill to all, and consider…

Question 1 – why on earth was he NOT on the team bus ? Gatland, a man who inculcated a fierce sense of pride in the team ethic at Wasps, will wonder how well he is being managed, on a day to day basis.

Question 2 – perhaps more fundamentally – in a week when a squad player from Man Utd has been accused of rape during the course of a “Christmas Party” costing £4000 per head (cough, splutter…), how bad are our rugby stars ? Really ??

As our most news worthy rugby star in Wales, he’d still be unlikely to be able to splash out £4000 on a night out on the town with the spotty apprentices at Old Trafford. And they’d be highly unlikely to travel by train…

Besides which, would our Gav be allowed to go to a do where WAGS are banned ??

Heart and Soul from the new man

There's something about Gatland's face that urges caution. If he was my coach, I'd listen pretty intently. If I'd been an opponent, I'd have been watchful. It's the face of a front row forward who's done the hard yards. Now, as the Welsh coach, he will have an all too short period of time to pull his squad together, players and coaches, before we head in to the 6 Nations, desperate to put that game in Nantes behind us.
We face that competition without Martyn Williams, probably our best player in the past three years, and Alfie Thomas, our most charismatic individual. Our "Welsh Way" has, apparently, turned out to be a cul de sac. Our Regions have struggled in the Heineken thus far (ironically, only the perennial under achievers, the Cardiff Blues, look good for the next round) and the Ospreys have been the only team to advance in the EDF.
So Gatland himself need not be cautious. He can afford to be choosey. His squad members need to deliver in training - he will be seeking players who have the "right stuff", physically and mentally. Players who will make the right decisions under duress, who can deliver in conditions of extreme physical and mental pressure.
But please, oh please, let's stay interesting. Let's not become robots. Let's not become obsessed with the big hit, the physique, the weights. Let's have power where we need it, when we have the ball in hand. As the Springboks showed this autumn, you have to have the whole package to come up trumps.