Gavin Henson has been sacked by Cardiff Blues with immediate effect.
The 2005 Lions tourist has been shown the door by the Blues following a drink-related incident on a flight back from Glasgow on Saturday morning.
Henson admitted drinking following Friday night’s thrashing by Glasgow and then again on the plane back to Wales at 7am the following day.
The 30-year-old issued a public apology but it hasn’t been enough to prevent him from being dismissed by the Welsh capital outfit less than a week before their Heineken Cup quarter-final with holders Leinster.
“Following a management meeting on Monday morning Cardiff Blues can confirm that Gavin Henson has been dismissed with immediate effect,” read a statement from the Blues.
“The Cardiff Blues management have discussed the matter at length but have acted swiftly since the incident occurred on Saturday morning,” added Blues chief executive Richard Holland.
“Gavin admitted himself that his behaviour was totally unacceptable and the immediate termination of his contract sends out a clear message that behaviour like that will not be tolerated at the Blues.
“We have a duty to our supporters and sponsors to protect the good name of Cardiff Blues and those associated with our brand.
“Gavin Henson is obviously a talented rugby player and it's unfortunate that his career at the Blues has ended this way.”
Henson’s sacking raises even more question marks about his playing future following a series of on and off field troubles since earning selection for the Lions seven years ago.
An extended sabbatical from his Ospreys contract after a run of bad luck with injuries was followed by short-lived spells at Saracens and Toulon, with the latter ending last summer after another drink-related incident.
Henson returned to the Wales fold for the summer World Cup warm-up games despite being without a club but a wrist injury wrecked his chances of travelling to New Zealand.
He only joined the Blues on an eight-month contract earlier this season and had featured in just eight games since he promised to revive his career at the Cardiff City Stadium.
A hero of Wales’ Grand Slam-winning side of 2005, Henson is now equally-well known for his appearances on television shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, 71 Degrees North and The Bachelor and his latest setback suggests he is running out of options in the sport that first made him famous.
