Did you see it coming?

POWELL KICK OUT OF WELSH SQUAD


One thing I remember about the immediate aftermath of the Wales - Scotland game this weekend was Andy Powell coming off the bench to congratulate his teammates - he looked like he had some mischief in his eyes....

the rest i guess now is history...


"Powell and another man were picked up at a service station at junction 33 of the M4 motorway, less than three miles from the Wales team headquarters at the Vale Hotel and Spa, on Sunday morning. Powell had spent Saturday night celebrating Wales's Six Nations victory over Scotland.

It is understood the buggy was taken from the Vale of Glamorgan resort. The other man was released without charge. Today, following discussions with the player himself, the Welsh management has decided to suspend Powell from the squad for the duration of the tournament, for behaviour contrary to the squad's code of conduct. "

(SOURCE telegraph.co.uk)

Powell is clearly a bit of a joker - anybody who has seen the behind the scenes DVD on the recent Lions tour would pick up on that...

So when I heard the story on Sunday I was not surprised and like John Indverdale who delivered me the news (not one on one you understand) I laughed.

Funny though it was, it was not a clever thing for the man to do.

Harsh Punishment?

I don't think Gatland and co where left with much option.

The former Wales number 8 Micheal Owen had a good point today Gatland brought Powell into the squad and gave him a chance - and this was not the right way for Powell to repay him.

The future for the backrow forward?

I'm guess the Cardiff Blues player will get another chance...wont he?

He really excelled when he came on the international scene at the beginning last season - but he has rather faded with the Welsh team ever since.

He is not a natural number 6 (where he has played this Six Nations campaign) and I expect Osprey's flanker Jonathan Thomas to step into that role and Powell won't be missed...

So time could be up for the former Newport and Scarlet's man.

Powell has come back before though...

After a bright start to his career at Newport he nearly gave up the game after failing to make a impact as a youngster in France and then at Leicester.

After a brief step back from the oval game at 23 he returned to Wales to join the Scarlets. He also struggled to reach his potential at West Wales' side - where he got into trouble by missing training and the like.

A move to the Cardiff Blues in 2005 and taking his chances when Xavier Rush got injured at the Blues he broke the international scene.

He came back bigger and better - and in his own words "matured". He may need to rethink that and maybe the game that has slipped away in the past couple of months maybe reborn.

It's a balancing tip really that could go either way.