Wales coach Mike Ruddock will hope for an overdue change in fortunes tonight when Grand Slam star Gavin Henson appeals against his 72-day suspension.

Henson was banned just before Christmas after being cited and found guilty of elbowing prop Alex Moreno during a bitter Heineken Cup clash between the Ospreys and Leicester.

Ospreys centre Henson is set to sit out Wales' opning three RBS 6 Nations games against England, Scotland and Ireland next month as a result.

But a significant reduction - to less than six weeks - would see Henson available for the February 4 Six Nations opener against world champions England at Twickenham.

Ruddock's Six Nations plans have been rocked by tournament-ending injuries to full-back Kevin Morgan, prop Chris Horsman, lock Brent Cockbain and back-row forward Ryan Jones, while centre Tom Shanklin is also likely to miss the entire competition.

A three-man panel, which includes former Ireland and Lions prop Phil Orr, will hear Henson's appeal at the European Rugby Cup offices in Dublin. The ban could be quashed, reduced, retained or even extended.

Worcester forward Horsman became the latest Welsh injury victim, with the Warriors confirming their tighthead prop requires an ankle operation on Thursday. He is unlikely to play again this season.

"It has been a problem he has had for a while," said Wales team manager Alan Phillips.

"We hoped he could wait until the end of the season, but it is not to be. Sometimes you are dealt these things, and you have just got to get on with it.

"Chris has been a good find for us, and now is a chance for him to put his ankle right. We hope he will come back even fitter and stronger from it."

Henson, meanwhile, has made just three appearances this season after recovering from groin surgery, but he is currently out of the game until early March.

He has not played for Wales since the Grand Slam-clinching victory over Ireland in Cardiff last March.

Concussion then ended his Lions tour of New Zealand a week early, ruling him out of the Test series finale in Auckland after he had started the second Test, and he underwent surgery in Germany earlier this season to cure a long-standing groin problem.