Gavin Lloyd Henson (born 1 February 1982) is a Welsh former professional rugby union player, who played as a fly-half, fullback and inside centre.

Between 2000 and 2019 he played for Llanelli, Swansea RFC, the Ospreys, Saracens, Toulon, Cardiff Blues, London Welsh, Bath, Bristol and the Dragons.

Since 2010, Henson has participated in several reality television series: 71 Degrees North, Strictly Come Dancing, The Bachelor and Celebrity Hunted.

Henson came to wider notice in 2004 with a series of performances in Wales' autumn internationals against New Zealand and South Africa.

In Wales' opening fixture in February, at home to England, Henson gave an effective performance; making two tackles on Mathew Tait (earning Tait the nickname 'Henson's Handbag'[citation needed]) and landing the match-winning points with a 48 m penalty kick and being named man of the match.

[13] He was not selected in the Wales squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup by then coach Gareth Jenkins, after he failed to prove his fitness after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.

Henson was recalled to the Welsh Squad by caretaker coach Nigel Davies, to play against South Africa shortly after the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Henson lost his first 6 Nations match in which he started on 21 March 2009 as Ireland beat Wales in Cardiff 17–15, to win the Grand Slam.

[16] Since this time, Henson has made no official statement on the subject, shown any intent with regard to joining a Super League club or held any talks with the Crusaders, although he regularly attended their matches in 2009.

Henson had been reported as having trained with Saracens two days prior to this announcement on 25 October 2010, leading to speculation that the return to professional rugby was imminent.

[19] Henson signed for Saracens in October 2010, making his debut at Wembley Stadium in the Boxing Day 2010 match against London Wasps; his first competitive game since March 2009.

[22] The same day, French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported that Henson had met RC Toulonnais head coach Philippe Saint-André and club owner Mourad Boudjellal, for lunch in Toulon.

[26][27] After the Barbarian match, Henson was named in the 45-man preliminary 2011 Rugby World Cup squad by new Wales coach Warren Gatland.

[28] On 11 August 2011, Henson started for Wales in a warmup test against rivals England at Millennium Stadium, but left late in the first half after dislocating his wrist.

Due to this improved form Henson, reportedly, rejected an approach by the Newport Gwent Dragons to sign an extension to his Bath contract.

[38] On 23 January 2015, it was announced Henson would be leaving Bath to join RFU Championship side Bristol, at the end of the Aviva Premiership season on a one-year deal.

[44][45] He made his début in a 4–58 home defeat to Widnes Vikings in a Challenge Cup tie on 21 Mar 2021,[46] but has not featured since.

[citation needed] In September 2010, he featured in the ITV1 outdoor series 71 Degrees North, a challenge show set in Norway in which he finished in 2nd place, losing out to Marcus Patric.

[50][51] Henson was excused from a 13 December 2008 Heineken Cup match against Benetton Treviso because Church was due to deliver her second child prematurely, but this did not happen.

[citation needed] On 28 September 2019, Henson married his long-term partner Katie Wilson Mould at St Michael's and All Angels Church, Guiting Power, on the outskirts of Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire.