Rugby:Gavin Henson will not be offered a new contract with Toulon next season, according to reports in France. The 29-year-old, who joined the Top 14 club in February, recently served a one-week suspension for disciplinary incident.
Club president Mourad Boudjellal told the French newspaper Var-Matin:"We do not want blame anyone, but for next season we hope that team spirit is a priority."
Henson joined Toulon for an initial five months to cover for the injured Clement Marienval, hoping to convince head coach Philippe Saint-Andre to give him a new two-year deal as well as revive his Wales career ahead of the World Cup.
Though he has had some success with the latter part of that equation, having been named in the Wales squad to face the Barbarians next week, it appears his off-field behaviour has cost him any chance of a long-term deal at Toulon.
Henson last played for his country in the 2009 Six Nations before a combination of personal problems and injuries prompted him to take unpaid leave from the Ospreys.
He signed with Saracens to end an 18-month period out of the game but made only four appearances and just one start in four months at the club.
The 29-year-old was initially hampered by a hamstring injury on his arrival in France, but made a try-scoring debut against Stade Francais and made his second start in another victory over Toulouse.
The decision not to keep Henson follows hot on the heels of the high-profile signing of former rugby league star Willie Mason, who is expected to play at centre.
Mason will make his union debut on Sunday after being included in the Barbarians’s squad for their clash with England. The 31-year-old is on course to make his cross code bow at Twickenham.
Alongside Mason, the latest additions to the squad include Edinburgh wing Tim Visser and Samoa international Iosefa Tekori. The squad is comprised of 12 different nationalities with Georgia’s Davit Kubriashvili and Erik Lund of Norway adding to the list.
Former New Zealand wing Doug Howlett and Clermont-Auvergne’s Australian outhalf Brock James will join the squad in Cardiff for the second leg of the tour. Italy stars Sergio Parisse and Leonardo Ghiraldini and France fly-half Frederic Michalak make their Barbarians debuts with David Young and Scott Johnson coaching the squad.
Barbarians squad
Forwards:S Bruno (Toulon), Q Geldenhuys (Aironi), L Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), C Hayman (Toulon), D Kubriashvili (Toulon), E Lund (Biarritz), S Parisse (Stade Francais), S Perugini (Aironi), G Smith (Toulon), I Tekori (Castres Olympique), I Thomas (Scarlets), P Tito (Cardiff Blues), J van Niekerk (Toulon), M Williams (Cardiff Blues).
Backs:B Baby (Clermont Auvergne), M Bastareaud (Stade Francais), D Howlett (Munster), B James (Clermont Auvergne), N Jeanjean (Brive), W Mason (Toulon), F Michalak (Toulouse), R Pienaar (Ulster), S Rabini (La Rochelle), P Sackey (Toulon), S Tillous-Borde (Castres Olympique), T Visser (Edinburgh).
