Giteau al Toulon, ¿Henson vuelve a Gales?

Toulon sign Matt Giteau to put Gavin Henson's French future in doubt

Gavin Henson looks unlikely to stay at Toulon after his short-term contract ends in May, following the French club's signing of the Australia centre Matt Giteau.

The recruitment of the 28-year-old Giteau, who has 91 Australia caps, on an 18-month contract that will start after the World Cup in the autumn, will leave no room for the Wales centre Henson in the Toulon starting line-up, given the presence of England's Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half.

Henson joined Toulon from Saracens last month, hoping to play regularly at inside-centre and put himself into contention for a place in the Wales World Cup squad. He is set to make his debut against Agen this weekend, after recovering from a calf strain, as Wilkinson is on England duty and the Argentina fly-half Felipe Contepomi is injured.

Giteau, who said that he will return to the Brumbies in the summer of 2013, in order to be in contention to face the Lions that year, has been signed to operate in tandem with Wilkinson. Toulon have said they will decide whether to make Henson an offer after watching him play but he seems bound to return to Britain, especially as staying with the French club would put him in danger of not being released for Wales's pre-World Cup training camps.

Wasps' leading try scorer, Tom Varndell, is unlikely to play again this season. The former England wing has been ruled out for 12 weeks after damaging ankle ligaments in Sunday's Premiership defeat by Gloucester. The Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel, who also suffered an ankle injury in the match, will be out for between two and three weeks after a scan revealed he had not suffered a break.

The England team manager, Martin Johnson, has released Danny Care, the reserve scrum-half, to Harlequins this weekend. Care's club, who have only one other fit scrum-half, play Sale on Saturday.