There is no place in Gatland’s squad for former Wasps No 8 Andy Powell, however, who left the Premiership club after being suspended for his role in an altercation with football fans in a west London pub that resulted in him being knocked unconscious and requiring 10 stitches for a head wound.
Powell however is expected to receive more positive news on Tuesday, when it is understood he is likely to sign for Sale Sharks, despite strong interest from London Irish and rugby league sides Wigan Warriors and Celtic Crusaders.
Henson, who last played for Wales in their Six Nations defeat by Ireland in March 2009 before going on a 19-month self-imposed exile from the game, is included in a 26-man squad from which Gatland will select his team to tackle the Barbarians in Cardiff on June 4.
The 29 year-old’s call-up comes after the Toulon centre was suspended by his club for fighting with his team-mates following their Top 14 victory over Toulouse last month.
Toulon initially suggested Henson would have no future at the club, but his suspension was lifted and he appeared as a substitute during their defeat by Montpellier on Saturday.
Henson’s future at Toulon, whom he joined after an unsuccessful four-match stint at Saracens having secured an early release from his contract at the Ospreys, is still uncertain.
Gatland insists the former 2005 Lions tourist, and two-time Grand Slam winner, was worth the gamble. “This game gives us an opportunity to get Gavin back into the fold,” said Gatland. “We want to have a look at a quality player. I know there have been certain issues, but all I can say about Gavin is that when he has been in our squad you couldn’t get a guy who has been more professional in terms of the training environment. He has played well for us.
“If we can get the best out of Gavin, I think it would be good for Wales. We have been prepared to take that risk with Gavin.”
Meanwhile, Sport England has cut funding to the Rugby Football Union by more than £1 million because the governing body failed to meet participation targets for both the men’s and women’s game.
Sport England’s “Active People” survey showed that the number of adults playing rugby union at least once a week has declined from 230,000 at the start of the funding period, in 2009, to 177,900 at the latest calculation, leading to a cut in funding of just over £30 million by £1.078 million.
“We have to accept that the failure to meet our Sport England targets over the last few years would inevitably affect the level of funding we receive,” said RFU chief executive John Steele. “However, I now believe we have far more realistic targets for the next two years and we are committed to creating a sound platform for growth as we move towards the home World Cup in 2015.”
WALES SQUAD - Forwards: P James (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), R Bevington (Ospreys), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Ospreys), L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), L Reed (Scarlets), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt). Backs: M Stoddart (Scarlets), G North (Scarlets), A Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Williams (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), G Henson (Toulon), S Jones (Scarlets), R Priestland (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys), T Knoyle (Scarlets).
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