Andy Powell (rugby)

Andrew Powell (born 23 August 1981) is a Welsh former rugby union player, who last played for Merthyr RFC. He is a former international rugby union player having played for both the Wales sevens team, and the Wales national rugby union team as well as touring with the British and Irish Lions (uncapped). His regular rugby union position was either No. 8 or blindside flanker in the back row.

Andy Powell
Birth nameAndrew Powell
Date of birth (1981-08-23) 23 August 1981
Place of birthBrecon, Wales
Height197 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight112 kg (17 st 9 lb; 247 lb)
SchoolLlandovery College
Rugby league career
Position(s) Prop, Second-row
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–2014 Wigan 5 (4)
2013 → South Wales Scorpions 2 (0)
Correct as of 16:21, 6 July 2013 (UTC)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number eight, Flanker
Current team Merthyr
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1999–2000 Newport 1 (0)
2000–2001 Llandovery 18 (10)
2001–2003 Newport 49 (55)
2003 Béziers 0 (0)
2003–2004 Leicester 1 (0)
2004–2005 Scarlets 1 (0)
2005–2010 Cardiff Blues 63 (25)
2010–2011 Wasps 21 (5)
2011–2013 Sale 38 (15)
2014–2015 NG Dragons 10 (0)
2015– Merthyr 0 (0)
Correct as of 15 July 2015
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2012 Wales 23 (5)
2009 British and Irish Lions 0 (0)
Correct as of 17:19, 12 February 2012 (UTC)

As of 2018, he is coaching his local club Brecon RFC, who play in the WRU EAST Division 1 league.

Rugby union career

Born in Brecon, Powell attended Llandovery College, and played as an amateur for both Llandovery and in Halifax. In 1999, he joined Newport RFC, and over the following four seasons he played in fifty matches, scoring eleven tries.[1] Mentored by South African Ian McIntosh, he made the Wales Under-21 squad. He then joined Leicester Tigers, before returning to Wales via French club AS Béziers Hérault with the Llanelli Scarlets.

Cardiff Blues: 2005–2010

Powell joined the Cardiff Blues in the summer of 2005, making an impact in his first season, winning a number of man of the match awards. The 2006/07 season was an exceptionally unlucky one for Powell, who injured his left shoulder in a pre-season friendly against Bristol. The injury required total shoulder reconstruction and he returned to action at the beginning of April 2007. Three games in to his comeback, he suffered an identical injury to his right shoulder, which would also require reconstruction. In December 2009, Powell was one of only three British players to be selected for the Barbarians, in their encounter with New Zealand.[2]

Wasps: 2010–2011

In July 2010, Blues agreed to release Powell from his contract, even though it had 12 months remaining, stating that Powell had "lost his way" since the buggy incident.[3][4] Early speculation linked Powell with newly promoted French rugby union team SU Agen, and with Welsh Rugby league club Crusaders.[5] But Powell joined London Wasps on a 12-month contract in July 2010, coached by Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards, which he hoped would improve his chances of a return to the national squad.[6] On 5 May 2011, Powell left London Wasps by mutual consent[7] after a drunken brawl outside a pub.

Sale Sharks: 2011–2013

In May 2011, Powell signed for Sale Sharks after his release by London Wasps. In October 2012, Sale fined him £5,000 for abusive language and making offensive hand gestures to spectators.[8]

Wigan Warriors: 2013–2014

In 2013, he joined Wigan Warriors.[9]

Newport Gwent Dragons: 2014–2015

In June 2014, it was announced that Powell had signed a deal with Newport Gwent Dragons.[10]

Merthyr: 2015– 2016

In July 2015 Powell joined Merthyr RFC.

In October 2016, Merthyr announced Powell had retired from the game with immediate affect, after a re-occurring Knee injury.

Powell later revealed he had been suffering depression, and cites the condition as a reason for his retirement.

International

Powell played his first cap for Wales against South Africa on 8 November 2008 where he won Man of the Match in the 15 – 20 loss.[11]

On 21 April 2009, Powell was named as a member of the British and Irish Lions for the 2009 tour to South Africa.[12]

Golf buggy incident

Powell was arrested "for taking and driving away a golf buggy" a few hours after the Welsh team's last-minute victory over Scotland in their 2010 Six Nations match. He was arrested near Junction 33 on the M4 motorway at 0600 GMT 14 February 2010.[13][14] The following day, for behaviour "contrary to the squad's code of conduct", he was removed from Wales' 35-man training squad for the Six Nations 2010, and played no further part in the tournament.[15] He was later given a 15-month driving ban and fined after admitting the offence at Cardiff Magistrates court.

Rugby league

Welsh Super League club Crusaders made an approach to sign Powell in 2010, but the offer was rejected.[16] Powell's then agent Mike Burton stated that Powell had a year left on his contract with Cardiff and that he would be honouring it,[17] but Powell then parted company with Burton.[18][19]

Powell has stated that he is interested in switching to rugby league and played during his teenage years with amateur club Cardiff Demons.[20] The Crusaders were interested in signing him for the 2010 season although he stated he would be interested playing in the next year or two and still had ambitions to represent Wales in rugby union.[21] Powell's new agent Emanuele Palladino confirmed that Powell would not be joining the Crusaders but he remained a target for Super League clubs.[22] After being sacked by Wasps he again received interest from Crusaders to join them after the 2011 Rugby Union World Cup.[23]

In April 2013 Powell confirmed he would join Wigan Warriors at the end of the 2012–13 rugby union season.[24] He scored his first try for Wigan Warriors in the home match v Hull FC on 30 August 2013.

Personal information

Powell married Natasha Gascoine on 25 May 2013 in Llantrisant.

Notes
  1. "Andrew Powell". blackandambers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  2. "Barbarians 25–18 New Zealand". BBC Sport. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  3. Rees, Paul (12 July 2010). "Wasps sign Wales and Lions flanker Andy Powell from Cardiff Blues". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  4. "Andy Powell set to join London Wasps from Cardiff Blues". BBC Wales Sport. 12 July 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  5. "Agen close in on Powell". Sky Sports. 29 June 2010.
  6. "Andy Powell joins London Wasps from Cardiff Blues". BBC Sport. 14 July 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  7. "London Wasps: Club Statement". London Wasps. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  8. "Powell fined". Bbc.co.uk. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  9. [1]
  10. South Wales Argus. "Andy Powell Joins Dragons".
  11. "Gatland pride and fury at Wales". BBC News. 8 November 2008.
  12. "O'Connell handed Lions captaincy". BBC News. 21 April 2009.
  13. Gardner, Alan (14 February 2010). "Andy Powell arrested over golf buggy after Wales win over Scotland". The Guardian. London.
  14. "Rugby star on buggy drink charge". BBC News. 14 February 2010.
  15. "Wales drop Andy Powell from team". BBC News. 15 February 2010.
  16. "Andy Powell time to be Crusader – Mirror Online". People.co.uk. 7 March 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  17. Andy Howell (19 March 2010). "Crusaders tight-lipped on Gavin Henson bid". Wales Online. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  18. "Andy Powell's wage drop to join Crusaders". Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  19. Andy Howell (3 April 2010). "Burton and Powell part company". Wales Online. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  20. "Code switch tempts Powell". Sky Sports. 20 May 2010.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. Riley, George (1 July 2010). "Powell still Super League target". BBC News.
  23. Wilson, Andy (6 May 2011). "Crusaders,Rugby league,Wasps (rugby union),Rugby union,Sport". The Guardian. London.
  24. Riley, George (23 April 2013). "BBC Sport – Andy Powell welcome, but bigger Super League concerns remain". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
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