Dan Biggar learned a lot from playing with Gavin Henson when he launched his career at the Ospreys and now the Wales and Lions star can’t wait to play against him.
Henson is set to return to the Liberty Stadium with the Dragons for Friday night’s Guinness PRO14 derby and Biggar knows exactly what sort of threat the double Grand Slammer can pose.
“Gavin was here for my first year at the Ospreys and the thing I took most from him was the confidence he had. He would always back himself and believe he was right,” said Biggar.
“When you are playing at No. 10 in Welsh rugby you have to make sure you are confident and have a little bit about yourself. The striking thing about Gavin was that he would just think he was the best at everything.
“Gavin always looks as if he has got quite a bit of time on the ball, he brings players into the game around him and gives a lot of confidence to players around him. He doesn’t try to force things, which is a good attribute to have.
“I’m the opposite to him in that I’m always flapping around and look as though I’m rushed on the ball. There are very few players who have the skill set that he has.
“He just glides around the field and puts his team in the right areas. There aren’t many naturally gifted players like him out there and he is going to be a massive threat against us.
“I’ve never played against him and it will be really good to test my wits against a world class player. He deserves a great reception.”
Biggar believes the Dragons will arrive targeting an upset given the Ospreys have lost their last seven games in a row.
They may have run Saracens close in Europe in a performance that suggested a revival could lay ahead, but in terms of results it has been a relentless downward spiral since the second week of the season.
At least their younger talent was recognised by Wales coach Warren Gatland in midweek when he named Nicky Smith, Adam Beard, Sam Cross and Owen Watkin in his squad for the November internationals, but Biggar knows both older and younger generations in the Ospreys have to deliver now to halt their decline.
“We must win on Friday night. It’s about the senior guys helping out the youngsters and helping them to step up and dig in – we have to turn the corner,” added Biggar.
“When you are winning eight or nine on the bounce you almost don’t need coaches. You just turn up to play on a Saturday.
“You find out a lot more about individuals when times are a little bit tougher. It has been a real show of character for us and, on the whole, we have fronted up and competed well.
“We could have won a few more games, but we didn’t, and ultimately that’s what we are judged on. We aren’t here for sympathy and we don’t what the plaudits for scoring four tries and coming second best.”
