Crusaders boss denies Henson link

Crusaders coach Brian Noble has dismissed speculation suggesting that Gavin Henson is considering switching codes to join the north Wales side.The Wales centre, who has been on indefinite unpaid leave from the Ospreys since last August, has not played for the region for a year. Henson, 28, who last summer denied that he was about to retire, has been plagued by groin and Achilles injuries. "There's certainly been nothing from us," Noble told BBC Sport Wales. "I don't know who his agent is, so that will probably tell you the answer to that question." But Noble conceded that he would be interested in signing Henson, among others, if he were to become available. "I can enlighten you on the fact that there's lots and lots of names thrown my way," he said. "And I like the look of the names and what the players can do. "There's a lot of criteria to meet there. There's quite a few other people on the list I would like to speak to and encourage to play rugby league from rugby union. "Our doors are open. I'm conscious of the fact that the more Welsh people there are the better." Noble, who has already brought in former Wales captain Gareth Thomas from Cardiff Blues, has also been linked with back-rower Andy Powell. But, last month, Wales coach Warren Gatland told BBC Sport that he hopes Henson will return to the national side. He has not played since he was injured during the Ospreys EDF Cup game against Gloucester on 28 March, 2009. Ospreys bosses Andrew Hore and Scott Johnson have stated that they would give him as much time as he needed to recover from his injury problems. His partner Charlotte Church revealed on BBC 1's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross last week that Henson was back in training. Noble denies interest in Henson Henson rose to fame in 2005 after his booming, long-range penalty brought Wales an 11-9 win over England that paved the way for the nation's Grand Slam that year. His relationship with Church began during Wales' 2005 winning streak, catapulting him from Welsh sports star to tabloid headline-maker. While his off-field fame continues, Henson's rugby stock has slipped amid runs of poor form and injuries. Henson has suffered a series of injuries over the past two seasons. And his lack of match fitness saw him overlooked for last summer's British and Irish Lions' tour of South Africa, having been selected four years earlier for the series in New Zealand.