GAVIN Henson joined London Welsh in an attempt to "put things right’’ after being sacked by Cardiff Blues.

Henson had been prepared to retire when his agent was told by the Blues - before the drink-related incident on a Flybe flight from Glasgow in April - that he had no future at the club.

The 30-year-old had joined the Welsh region after unsuccessful stints with Saracens and Toulon, and he felt it would have been "embarrassing" to sign with a fourth club in under two years.

But when the Blues terminated his contract, Henson knew he could not end his career on such a sour note and he accepted the offer from Aviva Premiership new-boys London Welsh.

"I want another chance to put things right because I thought that was it,’’ Henson said.

"It was going to be my last club. I was made well aware they weren't going to sign me on. That was demoralising.

"If you watch that last game (against Glasgow) where I was brought on as a wing - that sums up the way things were at the club. It was tough.

"I couldn't move on to another club. It was starting to get embarrassing. I was more or less finished then, rugby-wise.

"The writing was on the wall before then and they took their opportunity to strike. I fell into that trap really.

"In a way, if there's anything good to come out of it [being sacked], it was that I knew things couldn't end like that.

"I had to bite the bullet and sign again for another club and try and put things right.

"I just have to make sure I stay on the straight and narrow and play the best I can."