Gavin Henson will return for Bristol despite break, says coach Holley

Gavin Henson was taken off on a stretcher in the second half at Ashton Gate

Gavin Henson should be back playing next season after breaking his fibula in Bristol's 28-29 loss to Worcester.

The 33-year-old Wales centre had kicked 10 points for Bristol in the first leg of the Championship play-off final before suffering the injury.

But Bristol head coach Sean Holley expects Henson to return to action.

"He'll be back for the early part of pre-season. Gav's really in great shape, he keeps himself in supreme physical condition," said Holley.

"So I would imagine we'll see a lot more of him yet.

"Obviously he's really despondent. He wanted to play a huge part in next week but he's got a broken fibula."

Holley's side go to Worcester's Sixways Stadium home next Wednesday needing to overturn a one-point deficit to win promotion to the Aviva Premiership.

Henson will obviously play no part in that game and must watch to see in which division he will be playing his rugby with Bristol next season.

"He was pretty distressed [Wednesday] night. It was a horrible challenge, he got his foot caught and big Mike Williams - the second row from Worcester - his full weight went through it," Holley told BBC Wales' Scrum V Radio programme.

"He'll be a minimum of three to four weeks in a cast and then you're talking six weeks to heal.

"It's the end of the season, so you're talking most of Gavin's free time where he should be on a beach will be spent on crutches."