London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/27/2010 -- London Wasps have announced that Andy Powell, the Wales back row forward, has joined the club on a one-year deal from Cardiff Blues.
Powell has switched clubs after being released by the Blues on Monday following five years at the Arms Park club.
Powell, who had also been linked to French Top 14 club Agen and to rugby league side Crusaders, had been unsettled at the Blues since he was axed from Wales Six Nations squad for his much-publicised golf buggy indiscretion following the victory over Scotland last February.
Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young said on Monday that Powell was mixed up and disillusioned with everything at the moment.
However, the 28 year-old is confident that his move to Wasps, where he will link up with Wales head coach Shaun Edwards, will refocus his international career ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand next year.
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My decision was a pure rugby decision, Powell said. After all the talk and speculation about where I will be playing, all I want to do now is get my head down, improve as a player and hopefully if selected, play in the World Cup next year for my country.
To do that I need to be playing well for my club, and I think with the coaching team and setup here at Wasps, I will have the perfect opportunity to do that. I know Shaun Edwards well of course from my time with the Welsh team, and I took little persuading once I met with Tony Hanks and Trevor Woodman about how serious this team is about success and winning.
Wasps have pulled together a great squad, with some great coaches and I think this is an environment in which I will thrive as a player and I hope to do my part to help bring success and trophies to Wasps.
Wasps director of rugby Tony Hanks predicted Powell, who has won 14 caps for Wales and previously had stints with the Scarlets, Newport, Beziers and Leicester Tigers, would become a favourite with the clubs supporters.
Andy makes his move from Cardiff based on his desire to drive both his club and international career and whilst his rugby ability is obvious, the Wasps coaching team have all warmed to Andy immediately and are impressed by his drive and enthusiasm to relocate to London and join Wasps,Hanks said.
Andy is the first high profile Welsh signing at the club since Rob Howley and we are confident he will benefit from the environment and Wasps way in a similar fashion and become a favourite with the Wasps faithful.
He will be a welcome addition to the squad and is held in high regard by people in the game that we at Wasps trust and respect none more so than Wasps Lions players who played alongside him and forged friendships with him in South Africa in 2009.
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