Gavin Henson waltzes back into professional rugby at Wembley

With the fake tan still very much evident, Gavin Henson made his Premiership and Saracens debut today against Wasps at Wembley.

His long awaited return to the pitch came after 51-minutes, replacing Michael Tagicakibau at outside centre and immediately made an impact. He was so close to making a dream start, going over the line having been on the pitch for just two minutes and with his first touch of the ball. But scrum-half Joe Simpson was carried over with Henson, wrapped around the Welshman like Katya Virshilas has been since September.

A debut try could have seen his new side home and dry at 15-0 with an easy conversion to come, but the incident inspired Wasps, not the North Londoners, as they came came back with two penalties to bring themselves to within a score.

Saracens, however, did enough and held the six-time English champions at bay winning 13-6.

With the exception of the initial flurry of excitement Henson had a quiet game. This is to be expected for a man 18-months out of rugby, but you couldn’t have put a hat-trick topped with a 50-meter penalty to win the game à-la Wales versus England,2005, past him.

Henson expects to be back in the international fold come February and the Six Nations, while he also expects to play at fly-half as his very frank interview on Scrum V earlier in the year suggested.

To achieve the latter, he needs to overcome the very impressive Owen Farrell who has deputised at Saracens after Derick Hougaard put himself out for the season. The rookie has performed impeccably, but whether because the game was at Wembley, the pressure of Henson or the fact that against Wasps he came up against a wily, international class openside flanker in Serge Betsen, Farrell junior did look slightly out of his depth on this occasion.

With some more training under his belt, Henson probably will step in, and amongst the group of young English prospects and South African exiles looking to prove a point, Henson could excel.

He was reserved after the game, saying he hopes to start in the next week or two at 10 or 12, and only then can he think about a return to the red shirt of Wales.

To reach the form required, other Saracens like Schalk Brits could be exactly the sort of player to help their new Welsh team-mate thrive. The hooker’s strong running could work beautifully off the shoulder of Henson’s passing or his own line breaks.

His return within the ranks of the current Welsh set-up may be greeted with mixed emotions, but for rugby fans and spectators Gavin Henson brings sparks of magic to light up pitches, fill stadiums and create incredible match winning moments.