Henson signs new Ospreys deal

The Wales and British Lions star has put pen-to-paper on a new three- year deal that will keep him at the Liberty Stadium until the end of the 2010/11 season, making him the twelfth Osprey to sign a new contract in recent months.

Henson has been with the Ospreys since their inception in 2003, having previously played for Swansea, and he made his regional debut coming off the bench in the Ospreys first ever Celtic League fixture to put in a match-winning performance against Ulster at the Gnoll in September 2003, helping himself to 15 points including two tries.
Since then, Henson has clocked up 88 appearances in an Ospreys shirt and is the region's record points scorer with 773, and is second in the try scoring list with 21. He has also picked up 28 Welsh caps, featuring in two Grand Slam successes, and has scored 130 points in the red shirt. Currently recovering from surgery on an ankle injury that kept him out of the closing stages last season, the 26 year old is on course for a return to action at the end of September.

Speaking today after signing his new deal, Henson said: "I'm delighted to sign a new contract, I wouldn't want to play rugby anywhere else. I'm an ambitious person and I want to win things and the Ospreys share my ambitions. There's a real buzz about the place at the moment, everybody is looking forward to the new season and to building on our achievements last season. For me personally, there was a lot to be pleased about over the course of the season even if it ended early because of injury, and I can't wait to get back into action as soon as possible and hopefully help both the Ospreys and Wales onto more success.

"The next few years promise to be an exciting time for the region. I'm just happy to be a part of such a fantastic set-up, we've got a good bunch of players and the majority of us have been together a few years now so there's a real bond there. What's really exciting about the Ospreys at the moment is the number of quality young players coming through, and personally, I'm very excited about working with players like Dan Biggar, Gareth Owen, Ashley Beck and Kristian Phillips. As one of the senior players, if I can use my experience to help develop the next generation of players then it can only benefit the Ospreys and Wales in the long run."

Ospreys Elite Performance Director Andrew Hore added: "This is fantastic news for both the Ospreys and Gavin. He is a performance driven player who can make that vital difference in tight games through his self belief, as he has shown so often for the region and for Wales, and we are delighted that he sees his future at the Liberty Stadium. As he has matured, he has continued to improve, and he now holds a senior leadership role within the Ospreys and is thriving on the responsibility.

"What is clear to see is that he is a dedicated professional, who is 100 per cent committed to doing the right thing for himself and for the region. The changes to his life off the field have been so positive for his game on the field and he is proactively looking to improve his personal environment and performance.

"Gavin burst onto the scene at a very young age so even though it seems like he has been around for a long time, he is still only 26 and his best years are still ahead of him. It's a real boost for us that these years will be spent in an Ospreys shirt."

Henson follows on from fellow Welsh internationals Jonathan Thomas, Shane Williams, Lee Byrne, Paul James and Huw Bennett, former All- Black Filo Tiatia and youngsters Ben Lewis, Ed Shervington, Leigh Bevan, Gareth Owen and Rhys Webb in signing long-term contracts with the region.