Andy Powell’s weekend shenanigans after their match with Scotland has resulted in him being removed from Wales’ 35-man squad.
Powell has been charged with drink driving and Warren Gatland, a stickler for the rules, has suspended him for behaviour contrary to the squad’s code of conduct.
Apparently, Powell – allegedly not the brightest of players – stole a golf buggy from the team hotel and drove it down the M4 after celebrating the win over Scotland.
In a statement on the WRU website, team manager Alan Phillips said, “We take matters of player conduct extremely seriously and have been happy with the professionalism and discipline of this squad in general terms,”
“Andy knows he has misbehaved and is apologetic, but he also knows that he must take responsibility for his own actions and accept the repercussions.
“This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated in a professional, elite sporting environment and we have acted quickly and incisively in order to leave no ambiguity over the dim view we take of this situation.
“The player has made his private apologies to the Welsh management team as well as apologising in a public statement and we have also asked him to apologise to the Vale Resort Hotel, before asking him to leave the squad.
“We will now leave the South Wales Police service to conclude the matter and we will be making no further public statements at this time.”
This is quite harsh on Powell. I’m sure they’ve all done stupid stuff, but Powell was stupid enough to get caught by the police.
It does show the sort of standards that Warren Gatland expects though.
Andy Powell Accomplice revealed: http://chasingtheegg.com/six-nations/six-nations-2010/andy-powell-accomplice-revealed/
I know it is sending out the wrong message, not very professional etc etc but by Christ that was funny. Great banter, made even better by his agent’s statement about him going to bed at 1am and then getting up to find the hotel breakfast bar closed hence his need to borrow the buggy and find breakfast elsewhere. Brilliant.
I wish I was with the lads that evening. Sounds as a smashing drinking session!
I’ve always suspected that Powell wasn’t the brightest spark – the kind of man that has to remind himself to breathe…you get the idea.
I think we now have our proof…
Anyone else reckon that he is the epitome of a bloke who was always the biggest at every level of rugby he ever played – and hence could always just take contact and barge through. Now people are working him out, he has to learn how to run into sace and off load – and i seriously doubt if he has the ability to learn…
He’s found himself something to do though, fair play http://chasingtheegg.com/welsh-rugby/andy-powell-saga-continues-accomplice-identified-in-hmv-cardiff/