Gavin Henson – his career in pictures

The 25-year-old was part of the Ospreys squad that won a second Magners League title. He was not selected for Wales’s World Cup squad, however, having failed to fully recover from injury. Off the pitch Charlotte Church, Henson’s girlfriend, announced in March 2007 that she was pregnant with their first child Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images

Success with the Ospreys continued as they won the EDF Energy Cup. Henson also started all of Wales’s games as they won a second grand slam in three years. But he was charged with disorderly conduct following his behaviour on a train following Osprey’s 19-8 win against Harlequins in the EDF Energy Cup Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Henson shone as Wales won the grand slam, with the Ospreys player making his most notable contributions in the opening 11-9 win against England; landing the winning points and making that dumping tackle on Mathew Tait. Off the pitch Henson admitted in his autobiography that he had vandalised toilets at a post-Six Nations party Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Having been released by Ospreys following an 18-month sabbatical, Henson signed for Saracens. But after just one start he was released by the club and, in February 2011, joined Toulon. A stint on Strictly Come Dancing was followed by a week’s suspension at Toulon following an altercation with two team-mates Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

A groin injury picked up with the Lions delayed Henson’s return to club duty and, within months, he received a seven-week ban for elbowing Leicester’s Alex Moreno. Back with Wales, Henson admitted to feeling ‘suicidal’ after his showing in the 31-5 loss to Ireland. Henson was forced to apologise to his Wales team-mates for comments he had made about them in his autobiography Photograph: Kieran Doherty/Reuters

The 29-year-old joined Cardiff Blues in October 2011 having missed out on selection for Warren Gatland’s World Cup squad. Having split-up with Church shortly after the birth of their second child, Henson appeared on the dating series The Batchelor in August 2011. Six months later came the sack from Cardiff Photograph: David Jones/PA Wire/Press Association Images