Even if Wales had not won the Grand Slam this weekend, life for Gavin Henson lwill never be the same.

Just as Scott Gibbs at Wembley in 99 and Ieaun Evans at Cardiff Arms Park in 94, the spiky haired golden boy of Welsh rugby has acquired cult status, the impact of which won't be known for several years.

With one kick, Henson became the man on every rugby fans' lips, he catapulted himself onto the world stage, pretty much securing a Lions place this summer, as well as securing himself a Wales place for the next ten years.

The timing, style and situation couldn't have been more dramatic, but the calmness in which the coolest man in the Millennium Stadium sent over that late penalty to break English hearts on February 5, will NEVER be forgotten.

The impact on Welsh rugby was huge. It gave Mike Ruddock's men a self-belief that they could now compete and more importantly beat the so called elite nations of World rugby.

It gave them the perfect springboard to launch their Six Nations campaign in style. They carried that momentum into the Italy game - winning comfortably and it gave them the belief to come back from the jaws of defeat and record a heroic victory at the Stade de France in Paris.

But more importantly it sent a message to the world that Welsh rugby is back and just as Pontypool front-row legend Bobby Windsor told the Argus last month, it is time to forget the seventies and pay tribute to Mike Ruddock's young side of 2005.

For Henson, he will always be remembered for THAT kick. He will effectively become a marked man, but as he showed with three thunderous tackles against Mathew Tait in that same game, the 15-stone, six foot Neath/Swansea Ospreys star is more than capable of handling himself on the pitch.

It is his status off the pitch that will provide the biggest headache for Henson. His good looks will be sure to secure him lucrative sponsorship deals, exciting advertising contracts and extensive TV work.

But whether the naturally shy Henson will be able to cope with this is another matter. Rumours are already surfacing that he is dating Charlotte Church, who more often then not is in the papers for all the wrong reason. Comparisons have already been made that Henson and Church are the Posh and Becks of Wales.

Whether it is true or not the predictable kiss and tell stories that have haunted David Beckham over recent years are also certain to follow.

One thing is certain though, Henson has surrounded himself with the right type of people to not let all the attention go to his head.

His agent Peter Underhill is a shrewd operator and an astute businessman.

As rumours grew of Henson's future in Wales the first thing Underhill did was to get his man to sign a new contract, so as to put to bed any rumours of itchy feet and to allow his man to concentrate on the remainder of the Six Nations.

Lyn Jones and Mike Ruddock are two coaches who will keep his feet on the ground and not allow all the attention to go to his head.

But the only person who can truly decide what the future holds for Gavin Henson, is Gavin Henson himself.

Despite being shy off the field, he is cocky and arrogant on it. He will have to make sure that he doesn't let that arrogance spill over into his life away from rugby, otherwise his fall from grace will be as spectacular as his rise to fame.

But whatever does happen to Gavin Henson over the next few years, just be thankful that for that glorious day on February 5, when he wiped the smile off English faces and made a nation proud, once again.