Writing in The Independent, Eddie Jones believes that the Lions need Gavin Henson in South Africa.

"I suspect there are as many contrasting views about this particular player as there are people to hold them but, to my mind, he is a high-class operator. Indeed, the Welshman is everything a coach wants in an inside centre – he is big and powerful, carries the ball well, has footwork, can kick miles and can tackle – and by way of extras, he can do a turn at full-back when required. The only thing you question is where his head is. If his attitude is good and he is in the right zone, Henson is a major asset. "It appears he will be out of the game for six weeks and, unsurprisingly, he is pretty down about it. But the timing is not entirely hopeless. I know Ian McGeechan, the Lions head coach, is adamant that he will not take injured players on tour, but that is not quite the same as taking players who aren't match fit. If Henson is back on his feet and running well by the middle of next month, I'd go with him. The Lions have half a dozen matches before the opening Test against the Springboks, so he would have plenty of opportunity to recapture that crucial sharpness that comes with playing regular rugby. It would not be as if Ian had given a plane ticket to a bloke in the vague hope that he might come up trumps by the time the serious contests arrive. "For a number of reasons, I hope things turn out well for Henson. I know he has this reputation as a "problem player", and I cannot pretend that his celebrity lifestyle doesn't raise the odd issue here and there. But I detect a lot of good in him: he likes to enjoy himself and frequently does so in the company of his colleagues, which suggests a degree of popularity. The trick is to find his positive side and channel it to the benefit of the team. Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards did that successfully when Wales won the Grand Slam last year and, with their good cop-bad cop routine, could do so again with the Lions."