Former Wales and Lions rugby star Andy Powell has revealed he blew everything he had gambling, but says he is "getting better now".
Now aged 41, Powell's 18-year rugby-playing journey started with Llandovery and took him to Newport on a £32,000 a year contract as an unproven teen. Beziers in France, Leicester Tigers, Scarlets, Cardiff Blues, Wasps, Sale Sharks, Dragons and Merthyr all followed. Along the way he was capped 23 times by Wales, appeared in the 2011 World Cup, toured South Africa with the 2009 Lions and turned out for the Barbarians. The rampaging back-rower also had a stint with 13-a-side Super League outfit Wigan Warriors.
But Powell was also no stranger to lows, including being banned from driving after motoring along the M4 in a golf buggy during the celebrations which followed Wales’ last-ditch win over Scotland in the 2010 Six Nations, leaving Wasps by mutual consent after being caught up in a pub brawl and later suffering from depression at the end of his career.
