The Ospreys ongoing selection headache has been alleviated somewhat with the news that Gavin Henson is fit and ready for their crucial Heineken Cup encounter at Perpignan on Saturday.

The Wales and Lions centre has recovered from the shoulder knock he picked up during their victory over the Cardiff Blues. "Gavin is fine, although we have probably lost Sonny Parker for a couple of weeks with a damaged rib," the coach, Sean Holley, told rugby 365.com.

"That means the selection problems I might have had at centre won't be as bad because Andrew Bishop is playing so well at the moment. We knew his defence was good, but his attacking play has been excellent of late and he is playing with renewed confidence.

"But Gavin has shown some real form since coming back and he is fit and ready to play again. We just felt that with Charlotte [Church] giving birth to their second child, and his knock against the Blues, it wasn't worth risking him last weekend."

Henson has been in sparkling form since returning after an operation on an ankle. He scored two tries from full-back against the Newport Gwent Dragons [on December 19], and has also figured at centre. He will be keen to impress the Wales coach Warren Gatland over the next two weeks as the Ospreys will then face Leicester Tigers to see who emerges on top of Pool Three.