Gavin Henson will not play until the end of September as he recovers from the ankle surgery he underwent in April. The Wales and Ospreys centre had expected to be ready at the start of the season, but it will now be close as to whether he will return in time for the first round of Heineken Cup games in October.

"Gavin is still in a walking plaster, which is scheduled to come off on July 10," said Ospreys physio Chris Towers. "Once it has been removed then we'll be looking at working closely with him to get it functioning properly. The indications are that the ankle is coming along well and we are looking towards Gavin returning to action towards the latter end of September."

Henson suffered the injury in a challenge from Saracens' Adam Powell in the Ospreys' Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat on April 6. Original estimates suggested he would only be out for 12 weeks, but it will be nearer six months by the time he does return.

The news is a blow to Henson, who had a successful season before the injury, helping Wales to the grand slam in the Six Nations and the Ospreys in their victorious EDF Energy Cup campaign, although he missed the final at Twickenham.