Gavin Henson: Bristol coach Sean Holley open to link-up

Gavin Henson has spent the last two seasons with Bath

Bristol coach Sean Holley says he would love to work with Gavin Henson again, after the Wales back was linked with a move to the Championship leaders.

Holley coached Henson, 32, for six years at the Ospreys, where the Wales utility back played from 2003 to 2009.

Henson is out of contract at Bath in the summer and is currently sidelined through injury, so the Premiership side are yet to decide on his future.

"I'm a big admirer of him as a player," said Holley.

"He's a good guy to work with and I'd love to work with him again.

"We'll just have to see if it happens to fit for all sides - which includes Gavin, ourselves and Bath."

Bridgend-bred Henson made a name for himself at club level with Swansea before they merged with Neath to form Ospreys for Welsh rugby's regional rugby launch in 2003.

He went on to help Wales to Grand Slams in 2005 and 2008.

Henson played for Ospreys for six years before taking an 18-month break from rugby in 2009

But after struggling with an ankle injury, he took unpaid leave from the Welsh club in 2009 and became involved in television projects - including Strictly Come Dancing.

He returned to the game after an 18-month absence with Saracens but was released after only four appearances, and spells with Toulon and Cardiff Blues came to abrupt ends after off-field incidents.

An injury-affected spell with London Welsh ended in 2013 and Henson went on to join Bath, where he has since made 21 Premiership appearances.

And Holley believes the player's time in the West Country has brought him back to his best.

"He's lost his way off the field, no doubt, but watching him play for Bath this season - he's got it back to how we remember him," said the Bristol coach.

"He keeps himself in great shape and is a good professional.

"He seems in a pretty good place and probably he feels he owes the game something and owes himself something, with all the seasons he's missed with injury or misadventure."