Wasps boss Tony Hanks has slammed rumours linking absent Ospreys star Gavin Henson with a move to the Aviva Premiership club.

Henson, who has not played for 18 months and has been signed up to appear on reality TV show Strictly Come Dancing from next month, has been the subject of widespread speculation suggesting a switch to England was imminent but Hanks has rubbished reports that an approach has been made and that a deal to acquire the 28-year-old was in the pipeline.

"We haven't signed Gavin Henson, we are not in any negotiations with Gavin Henson and I do not expect him to be at this club this season," a riled Hanks told the Daily Mirror ahead of his win-less side's bid to get off the mark in this season's Premiership against Leicester on Saturday.

"Would I know about it if anyone else in the club had signed him? Absolutely. Do I think that would happen? No I don't. I have become irritated by this. As far as I'm aware the guy's doing some dancing and he's under contract at Ospreys. There are 35 guys in our squad who deserve our attention and time. We should be talking about them. Guys like Tom Varndell and Dan Ward-Smith, who have committed for two more years here. To be honest, I'd rather do that."

A newspaper report last week reported Henson, who has been on unpaid leave for over a year, had instructed his lawyers to negotiate his exit from Ospreys with a two-year contract plus a six-figure transfer fee from Wasps in the equation - a claim labelled by Hanks as "unbelievable".

Wasps coach Shaun Edwards echoed his director of rugby's comments, insisting his club were not in the business of poaching players - especially those, like Henson, who are under contract with their current clubs.

"Do we negotiate with someone contracted to another club? No we don't," said Edwards - who is also an assistant coach with Wales. "Nor are we in a position to pay transfer fees. Our owner has spent £4million up to the salary cap and we are grateful for that." As to whether Wasps would look to sign Henson for next season, when his Ospreys deal expires, Edwards said: "I've no idea and haven't thought that far ahead."

Hanks added, "I'm more concerned with retaining what we've already got. At Christmas we'll have a look at where our holes are and at what's around. You're never going to say never to any players. But I'd like to give some of our guys a bit of an opportunity first to show that there are good players here at Wasps."

Ospreys director of rugby Scott Johnson has recommend that the Ospreys board hold stay-Henson to his contract. It's a two-party agreement and nobody put a gun to anybody's head to sign," the director of coaching told the BBC's Scrum V. "In Gavin's case he should honour his part of that deal too and I'll be encouraging the Ospreys to do that."

New coach Joe Schmidt got the first glimpse of his Leinster team, admittedly shorn of a host of international players, against Wasps in a pre-season friendly at Donnybrook last night.

If ever there was a case for favouring performance over result, this was it and there appeared to be uncertainty and confusion in the Leinster defence right from the get-go.

Out-half Ian Madigan and right- wing David Kearney were easily shrugged off in the build-up to Tom Varndell's quick finish in the third minute. It was a passage of passive defence that was simply unacceptable -- even at this stage of the season.

Thereafter, it was also quickly apparent that Schmidt has given his players greater licence to play what is in front of them. He wants to empower them to take control of the ball.

That is what they slowly began to do with Devin Toner prevented from playing the ball by a tackler, who did not release the lock on the ground. Madigan struck the penalty from 34 metres to make it 5-3 in the 28th minute.

Full-back Luke Fitzgerald fizzed about the field, bristling with energy and a sure touch that belied his 10-month absence from competitive action. He needed a few on his wavelength.

Gradually, this became the case as centres Fergus McFadden, on for the injured Eamon Sheridan at the end of the first quarter, and Eoin O'Malley got the ball into their hands.

The impressive leg drive of Kearney and O'Malley on two occasions hinted at the improved strength in the younger players flooding through from the Academy system.

Another former Ireland U-20, Madigan, launched an impressive penalty from the left to slip Leinster into the lead for the first time in the 37th minute. It was well deserved, given their calm recovery from Varndell's try and for the way they coveted the ball.

On a rare breakout, the Wasps attack engineered a gap for No 8 John Hart to step through for a gain of 40 metres. It was enough to draw the penalty for offside, which was sent over by out-half Dave Walder on the whistle.

The English club quickly moved further clear when a rash of replacements from both sides led to reduced organisation for whichever was without the ball. This led to centre Ben Jacobs getting in on the end of a slick move, with Walder adding the extras in the 45th minute.

The home side returned to other end only to be repelled by a Shaun Edwards-inspired defence, centre Jacobs stealing upfield for wing Richard Haughton to show a clean pair of heels to replacement Niall Morris. Joe Simpson converted.

Then scrum-half Simpson's pace and footwork bamboozled the Leinster fringe for Mark van Gisbergen to accelerate to the line. Simpson nailed the conversion.

By now, Wasps were totally in command, moving the ball around at ease until replacement flanker Dominic Ryan rattled Elliot Daly with a typically full-blooded hit.

It provided momentary relief, before Haughton crossed unopposed in the 72nd minute and Sevens exponent Christian Wade skipped over for their sixth try soon after.

It was a reality check for Joe Schmidt and the young players who seek to challenge and change the status quo.

Leinster -- L Fitzgerald; D Kearney, E O'Malley, E Sheridan, I Nacewa; I Madigan, P O'Donohoe; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, M Ross, T Hogan, D Toner, E Sheriff, P Ryan, S O'Brien (capt). Replacements: F McFadden for Sheridan (19); J Harris-Wright for Strauss, N Morris for Fitzgerald, M Keating for Nacewa, I Boss for O'Donohoe (all h/t); B Marshall for O'Brien, S Wright for Ross, I McKinley for Madigan, I Nacewa for Kearney (all 55); D Ryan for P Ryan (62); J McGrath for van der Merwe (69); M Ross for Wright, M Galarza for Hogan both (72).

London Wasps -- J Wallace; R Haughton, B Jacobs, D Waldouck (capt), T Varndell; D Walder, N Berry; Z Taulafo, T Lindsay, P Vickery, M Veale, R Birkett, W Matthews, S Betsen, J Hart.

Replacements: R Webber for Lindsay (14 -- temp); S Jones for Matthews (25); T Rees for Hart, R Flutey for Waldouck, B Broster for Vickery , J Cannon for Veale, J Simpson for Berry, C Wade for Varndell all ht; S Shaw for Birkett, M van Gisbergen for Wallace, R Webber for Lindsay, T Payne for Taulafo, E Daly for Jacobs all (55); M Veale for Jones (77).

Ref -- J Lacey (IRFU).

Irish Independent

 

Sackey: Heading to France

Paul Sackey insists his decision to leave Wasps isn't about money, with the winger explaining to Sky Sports News he's in need of a new challenge.

The England international announced last week that he would be departing Adams Park at the end of the season to join a Top 14 club in France.

Sackey has enjoyed two spells with Wasps, helping them win the Heineken Cup in 2007, in between stints with Bedford and London Irish.

The 30-year-old admits it was not an easy decision to leave but feels a switch will make him "more enthusiastic about the game".

Good step

"It's not about the money," he said. "I've stayed at Wasps for so many years when I could have gone.

"I'm at that stage in my career when I need a new challenge; I need a new lease of life.

"I think a move away from Wasps at this moment in time is probably a good step for me - it will probably make me more enthusiastic about the game.

"It was a very hard decision for me. I love the staff, I love the players - I have my friends there. It's probably the hardest decision I've had to make.

"But I've made my decision now, I've just got to go with it and make the best out of it. I'm definitely not going for the money. I would have stayed at Wasps for a little bit more."

Sackey may not be the only big-name departure from Wasps, with the future of Danny Cipriani still up in the air. The fly-half is out of contract at the end of the campaign and has been linked with a move to play in Super 15 down under.