The former Wales and Lions star spoke about the 2005 tour to New Zealand and his prediction for the Australia game this weekend
14:53, 16 Jul 2025Updated 15:09, 16 Jul 2025
Gavin Henson on Stick to Rugby(Image: YouTube/Stick to Rugby)
With Lions fever gripping the rugby fraternity, Gavin Henson has opened up on his experience of what has now become the infamous tour of 2005.
Sir Clive Woodward led the Lions on a tour to New Zealand, however the trip was ill-fated for a number of reasons, with injuries to key players and the bizarre choice to employ Labour party “spin doctor” Alistair Campbell as head of communications. The backroom staff was huge and Woodward also segregated midweek teams and Test squads throughout the trip.
Woodward also leant heavily on English players, particularly in the first Test when he opted to selected Jonny Wilkinson, who was not fully fit, while choosing to omit Henson, who was arguably at the peak of his powers after starring in Wales’ 2005 Grand Slam win. The decision sparked huge interest and suggestions of tension between player and coach.
After Woodward had picked his team to face the All Blacks, a photo emerged of the head coach and Henson walking together and speaking on the training ground. The former Ospreys and Wales star has spoken about how that photo came about.
On this week’s episode of Stick to Rugby, Henson, recalling the tour two decades on, said: “I think they obviously had a perception of me, because off off-field stuff, or whatever,” Henson said.
“I was a bit high profile and they felt like they had to control me. I was like ‘You don’t have to control me, I’ve just come here to play!'” he said.
“I had to spend most days with Alastair Campbell all the time. It was just awkward and weird.
“Then they obviously staged that thing with me and Clive Woodward when he picked his first team (for the Test) and I wasn’t involved.
“They wanted to make it look like we didn’t have an issue, so they wanted us to walk together so they could take a photo. It was just weird!
“It was all orchestrated. Strange.”
Sir Clive Woodward (right) talks to Gavin Henson in what appeared to be a staged photograph
Henson’s profile as a public figure in Wales had skyrocketed that year, of course, mostly thanks to his match-winning kick against the English at the Principality Stadium.
Not only was Henson, now 43, a top-tier rugby player, but he sported a pristine look which included spiked hair, shaved legs and, of course, fake tan.
Lawrence Dallaglio, a co-host on Stick to Rugby, actually roomed with Henson at the start of that tour, before the former England No.8 suffered a nasty injury, and learned first hand of Henson’s penchant for tan-in-a-bottle.
“One of the first times we met each other was on the Lions tour in 2005,” Dallaglio said to Henson.
“You had just hit the winning penalty for Wales, won the Grand Slam, and I was part of that tour and we roomed together. I was only there for a few days because I broke my leg in the first game.
“I don’t know if you remember this. You were quite shy, quite young, I was 35 and on my way out, clutching on to another Lions tour.
“I woke up in the morning and you weren’t in bed. You were having a shower, I could hear you in the bathroom. I looked over to your bed and I thought you’d s**t the bed!
“It was covered! Then I sniffed and it smelled of biscuits and I realised Gav liked a bit of the old fake tan!”
It would prove to be Henson’s only tour, with the former fly-half and centre making just one Test appearance in the second game against the All Blacks, in which he suffered an injury and was unavailable for the final match.
Henson hopes that Jac Morgan can earn more Lions Test caps than him. After Tomos Williams’ injury, Morgan is the sole Welsh representative in Australia, with head coach Andy Farrell due to name his Test team on Thursday.
“We were lucky to have two – but to be fair they are class players,” Henson said of Williams and Morgan.
“Hopefully he (Morgan) gets a starting spot. He is class, Jac Morgan. He is flying the flag for us.”
The three-Test series kicks off at thee weekend, with Dallaglio believing Farrell has a few “tricks up his sleeve” for the Wallabies, while Scott Quinnell boldly predicted a 3-0 Lions series win.
Henson, however, was more cautious.
“I have got a feeling we are going to lose the first Test,” Henson predicted.