Rugby – 6 nations.

Can’t be that talented, he can’t get a game for Cardiff. I am afraid that time has run out for him A-A, he will be remembered for a tackle and a marriage, and not his, frankly brief, rugby career.

Played on friday night, played last week. I expect there are quite a lot of professional centres in the UK who would struggle to get in a team in front of Roberts and Laulala or fullback ahead of Halfpenny but to say he cant get a game is just wrong I’m afraid. He may never get back to where he was but to have almost two years out and having got back to where he is shows a huge comitment to training and no lack of talent. Shame he is a trouble magnet.

Having said all that two grand slams and a Lions test player is better than most.

Blues signed him as a utility back able to play either centre, 10 or 15. He doesn’t start in any of those positions,and came on the wing with 16mins left;so he can’t get a game IMO. He is an waster who’s behaviour impacts on anybody around him when he is drinking, which lets face it is not unknown.I now genuinely dislike him as he has defrauded the paying public for years, yet seems to trade on the idea that rugby owes him a bloody good living.I have NEVER seen him address any of the problems with his galactico mentality or his loutishness when he is drunk. He is 30, no more potential, just what could have been. And as you say, two grand slams and a lions test; you are the fanboy,is that fulfilling the potential he had?

He’s started quite a few games at 15. Started a crucial Heinekin cup at 12. Started againsr Edinburgh i think at 12. Has missed out due to being in the Wales squad and not training withBlues so they are reluctant to start him. I think its just plain wrong to say he cant get a game. The rest is fair enouigh although i feel that like maybe Zac Guilford, danny care etc there may be very real mental problems that we dont know about.

You say he came on at wing? Did you see the game or are you thetypical anti Henson type who just reads the headlines?

AA – he’s certainly not as good as you think he is.

And read Bounce by Matthew Syed for an explanation about the myth of talent. He has ability yes but ability has many levels of which he is lacking a few, like others as you rightly point out.

He certainly was as good as i think he was and he still has bags of talent despite what some bloke wrote in a book.
I make no effort to hide the fact i love watching him play and its disappointing that i havent been able to do that much. As for the reasons why, none of us know, he doesnt strike me as a happy bloke though.

Bear he had the potential to be one of the best ever, sadly he has a head full of toys.

Hope he plays next week 😉

Given how shit they were friday night, it could be a cricket score. Henson couldnt make then any worse. Most problems were up front but Roberts and Laulala looked like they had necer met and the choice at ten between Parks or Sweeney isnt what you would call inspiring. At least Sweeney can ta kle.

AA – have you read the book? Before you start ignoring some very compelling research I suggest you broaden your mind.

I don’t agree with it entirely as I believe people have an aptitude for certain things, which can be caused by an exposure to them at a young age, others not so easily explained. But I don’t believe in talent.

Well bear i think your patently wrong does Lance Armstrong not have talent either?

Nope, he doesn’t. He has ability which has been honed by quality training. Read the book, in my opinion one of the most fascinating insights into peak performance, especially the 10,000 hour rule.
This is applied not just to sport but business, computing, music etc.

So whats the difference between talent and ability?

For me talent is something that people think just happens regardless of how much training, work, effort etc are put in to a particular skill.

Now this is where I differ slightly from the book idea in that some people do have more ability than others for certain things but often it is more of a physical attribute for my thinking.

Lance being a good example in that he has an abnormally large lung capacity I believe which gives him a head start. Seem to remember a bit from his book saying that the motivation he gained when out training in the wind, rain and freezing temperatures. Thinking that all his rivals would look outside and head for the turbo or not train. That has nothing to do with talent but an ability to motivate himself, push himself and use others to push him forward.

Read the book, there are some great sections about it, explains it far better than I can. Uses studies across different disciplines and quotes a few studies.

Its patently bollocks though i could train harder than lance and still fail to be as good as the lowliest pro.

Lance Armstrong does’t have talent?????

Syed makes some good points about training and repetition but IMO some people just have that extra 1% or what ever it is. Henson has it but is just a f+ckwit.

Bump

****, stupid, mentally ill or a ****. Still at least all he did was throw a few ice cubes, he didnt bite anyone or try to rip someones arm off. Seems odd that the blues have suspended him yet Tom James and Sweeney were playing friday despite their antics as highlighted by Zokes.

AA you need to do 10,000 hours of quality focused training. Till you do you can’t compare. read the book, there have been some interesting studies.

The violin players were interesting as there was a difference between those who had amassed 8000 to those that had done 10000. #

Also it depended on the quality of those hours. Good story about Bill Gates and a co founder of Microsoft, and some school children.

Before you totally ignore it I suggest you read the book, for anyone interested in sport it is a very interesting read.

Pigface – yes but it only makes up 1%, and some would question that.

I believe there are other factors as I said but more of a natural disposition towards something, be it the mental ability to train for an individual goal, or the simple enjoyment from kicking a ball.

Bear i think we’ll have to agree to disagree 🙂

Following the news that Gavin Henson has been suspended with immediate effect the Cardiff Blues utility back has issued the following statement”I am releasing this statement in relation to the press reports and the fact that I have been suspended by the Cardiff Blues for drinking on a flight returning to Cardiff from Glasgow on Saturday 31st March.”
“I would like to publicly apologise for drinking on that flight which is inapropriate behaviour.”
“I admit I had been out drinking in Glasgow on the Friday night following our game against Glasgow Warriors and had stupidly carried on drinking on the flight, for which I am truly embarrassed about.”
“I can see that drinking and behaving inappropriately on that flight as a professional sportsman at 7am has caused offence to members of the public, the Flybe Airline staff and passengers.”
“I know that I have let my team mates, coaches, management, sponsors and indeed my family down with my actions. Drinking on that plane was inexcusable and I know that I must take responsibility for it.”
“I also accept that in the light of this I need to learn from it and ensure this does not happen again.”
“I am prepared to co operate 100% with the Cardiff Blues wishes and will do everything that I need to do in order to make amends and enable the Blues to focus on our biggest game of the season next weekend.”
“I remain fully focused and committed to Cardiff Blues and I hope they can accept my apology.” concluded Henson.
The Cardiff Blues management team will meet first thing Monday morning to discuss the matter further.
* Cardiff Blues Season Tickets

Bear I agree with a lot of what Syed says but that 1% can make all the difference.

I heard that Henson had issued an apology. Good for him but he has previous on a train.

7am drinking! FFS there’s no hope for that boy.
Laughing at a_a’s “only throw a few ice cubes”. I wondered when the mitigation would start, and of course the references to recent English players poor behaviour wasn’t at all predictable. 😛

So no other rugby players drink? I reckon if he had done anything that serios on a plane he’d have been arrested and charged. It was the tory graph that reported he was throwing ice cubes.

Yes 1% does make a difference but at that level if the others around at the time had put in the same hours with the same commitment would he have won 7 tours?

AA – broaden your mind and read the book, I acknowledge that it is not all correct but there are some very good studies which I’m sure might even get you to perhaps squint through the other eye!
Lots of top coaches and sportsmen will disagree with you about the 10000 hour rule. Was talking to a top rugby coach this week about it and he mentioned it not me.

However I don’t think I’ll ever put Henson in the bracket of those who appear to have a special talent, unless it is for being a pratt. He is good but apart from a kick and a tackle has not really achieved and sums up what was wrong about Welsh rugby, the current crop are far superior and do have some very special individuals. Am particularly impressed by Halfpenny and his attitude.

However I don’t think I’ll ever put Henson in the bracket of those who appear to have a special talent, unless it is for being a pratt. He is good but apart from a kick and a tackle has not really achieved and sums up what was wrong about Welsh rugby, the current crop are far superior and do have some very special individuals.

So two grand slams and a lions test player on the back of a kick and a tackle and its me that needs to open my eye? Only what three players from the 05 grand slam played in this years so i dont think two is bad going.

So no other rugby players drink?

Of course, but the recent press coverage of the England squad during the RWC would have you believe it was verboten.
You have to admit 0700hrs drinking is pretty hardcore!

Well obviously he shouldnt be drinking at that time and he’s clearly got a problem but worse things have been done by rugby players

He was part of a grand slam winning team and played for the lions team. He is good I don’t dispute that, but not as good as he is made out to be. If he was that good he would still be playing.

Two grand slams he also played on friday night and played for wales twice last summer he was also in the wales squad for the six nations.

Not letting him go are you a_a? 😀

Nope. I love watching him play. His 15 mins on friday included a text book tackle and jackel to win a pen pure class. Then of course he missed a tackle for the last try when his lack of pace at 15 was exposed.

Nope. I love watching him play. His 15 mins on friday included a text book tackle and jackel to win a pen pure class. Then of course he missed a tackle for the last try when his lack of pace at 15 was exposed.

were we watching the same game! 😉

looked like he was playing touch rugby!

sadly his days are numbered for defo now, cant see hime ever playing for wales again, quite sad but the new young squad is here to stay.

i guess he knows this and chances of being picked are quickly dying.

if he was a prop it may be a different story 😉

so you didnt notice the tackle and turnover leading to the pen and then expect me to respect the rest of your opinion, righto…

In other news just read this over my morning coffee, we had best inform Zokes I have found a new team to hate:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/apr/01/northampton-saints-calum-clark-ban

“We’ll support him as we will with Dylan,” said Mallinder when asked about a possible appeal by Clark. Without it, the 22-year-old will be out of the game until November, not only ending any chance of making England’s summer tour to South Africa but probably the four autumn Tests as well.

“What you have there is two very competitive players, outstanding rugby players, and you can’t take away that competitive edge and sometimes, whether it’s through frustration, people sometimes go over the top,” said Mallinder.

“With Calum, the disciplinary panel found what Calum said from the outset and that there was no intent to injure. If you couple that with Calum’s remorse, genuine remorse, it’s a shame and to us that 32 weeks seems harsh.”

Published on the 1st of April?

Oh go on, it must be a joke, surely? Mustn’t it?

No intent my arse.

Standard stuff. Team must be seen to be supporting their players or risk alienating them. I bet he’s had an almighty bollocking behind closed doors.
He’s very much a marked man now I reckon. If he plays the **** again he’ll be hanging up his boots.