Andy Powell - legend

[jason]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8515002.stm

Rugby star on buggy drink charge
Welsh rugby star Andy Powell has been charged with drink driving after he allegedly took and drove away a golf buggy, hours after Wales beat Scotland.

The flanker was arrested with another man at 0600 GMT on Sunday at services off junction 33 of the M4 near the team hotel in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Mr Powell's agent told the BBC the player was "very sorry and embarrassed about what happened".

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said it was monitoring the situation.

A police spokesman confirmed two men were arrested and that investigations are ongoing.

Powell played in the 31-24 victory in the Six Nations championship.

It is understood the golf buggy was taken from the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort in the Vale of Glamorgan where the Wales team stayed before and after the Scotland game at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Mr Powell's agent, Mike Burton, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Andy was disappointed and embarrassed to find himself in this position.

"He does not excuse or condone drink driving in any form and it was a misjudgement. He is sorry and he will face up to it."

A spokesman for the hotel said they could not comment as a police investigation was ongoing.

The WRU said in a statement: "The national squad views matters of player conduct extremely seriously.

"Members of the national squad management will formally speak to the player before any further statement is issued."

It said the WRU had advised the player on the "opportunities he can consider for legal representation at this stage".

Brecon-born rugby flanker Powell, 28, has won 14 caps for Wales and toured with the British Lions squad to South Africa.

The forward plays regional rugby for Cardiff Blues, after joining from the Llanelli Scarlets in 2005. He has also played for Beziers, Leicester and Newport.

Cardiff Blues said it was a matter for the Wales team.

Couldn't stop laughing when I read this. Absolutely legendary.

 

[TOCC]

i like how Cardiff has dusted there hands clean of the incident

 

[en_force_er]

Maybe if he gets discharged he can play 10 for the Force?

He certainly would be better than the situation they've got going now.

 

[Scarfman]

Yeah, awesome. I've ridden around in a stolen golf cart, but to take it 5 miles to the motorway is class.

 

[Gagger]

Poor form of the Welsh coppers to arrest him.

 

[Bruce Ross]

If the management of the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort is silly enough to leave their golf buggies laying around when they have a team of Welsh rugby players staying there, my only surprise is that there wasn't a convoy of buggies going past junction 33 of the M4.

 

[Moses]

Maybe if he gets discharged he can play 10 for the Force?

A perfect way to negate the effect of Fava and Henjack's departure on their drinking culture.

 

[Scarfman]

WRU being dickheads about it.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...-after-drinkdriving-charge-20100216-o6jw.html

Andy Powell was dropped from Wales's Six Nations rugby union squad on Monday after being charged with drink-driving.

Powell was arrested in a golf buggy just hours after playing in Wales's 31-24 victory over Scotland at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday and faces a court hearing in Cardiff on March 2.

The 28-year-old back rower was arrested early on Sunday morning with another man at a service station near junction 33 of the M4 motorway, where the Wales team were staying.

"The Wales national squad management team today (Monday) confirmed back row forward Andy Powell will be removed from the Welsh 35-man RBS 6 Nations squad with immediate effect," said a statement from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

The statement added: "After discussions with the player himself, it has been decided by management that he should be suspended from the squad for behaviour contrary to the squad's code of conduct."

Wales team manager Alan Phillips explained: "We take matters of player conduct extremely seriously ... 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."

Powell is now set to miss Wales's February 26 clash at home to France, their March 13 match away to Ireland in Dublin and their tournament-ending Test against Italy at the Millennium Stadium on March 20.

Powell's agent, Mike Burton, told BBC Radio the player woke up early Sunday morning to see a local friend and as breakfast was not yet being served in the hotel, they decided to try the motorway services.

Powell was asked to take a breathalyser test and Burton confirmed he failed it, adding: "Andy was disappointed and embarrassed to find himself in this position.

"He does not excuse or condone drink-driving in any form and it was a misjudgment. He is sorry and he will face up to it."

The WRU said a specific replacement for Powell would not be added to the squad.