WIDNES Vikings are reportedly contemplating a Super League swoop for Wales international rugby union centre Gavin Henson.

According to reports the Widnes Vikings are supposedly keen to bring Gavin Henson to the Stobart Stadium Halton if the club get the green light from the RFL next year to compete in Super League in 2009.

A move for the Ospreys centre for 2008 is definitely out of the question in the short term, however, as Gavin Henson would almost certainly demand the majority of the Widnes Vikings budget for 2008 – most of which has been spent by Steve McCormack in re-building his Co-operative National League One squad.

Henson is currently out of action for his Welsh club after sustaining a broken a bone in his hand during the EDF Energy Cup victory over Harlequins last weekend – an injury that will sideline him until next month.

Widnes have famously been successful in converting rugby union stars into fully fledged Great Britain rugby league internationals after legends Jim Smith and Jonathan Davies successfully made the transition in the past.

The Vikings were on the brink of signing Gloucester and England international Henry Paul in February 2003 after the club had secured a lucrative financial package to lure the classy pivot to Widnes.

But an alleged board room blunder scuppered any hope of Paul signing for the ambitious Vikings.

One player Widnes is believed to be in talks with is Hull KR back rower Tommy Gallagher. Gallagher, 24, played for the Vikings more than three years ago after the then caretaker coach Stuart Spruce drafted him in on loan for the Vikings’ relegation batter.

McCormack is looking to bring in more new faces as soon as possible in a bid to bolster his 17 man squad and Gallagher would be a good addition to Widnes’s pack which is depleted following the exit of a host of forwards in the off-season.