Powell on drink driving charge

Wales back row forward Andy Powell will appear in court next month charged with drink-driving after he was arrested with a golf buggy at motorway services.

The 28-year-old was arrested early on Sunday, hours after his team beat Scotland in a thrilling Six Nations match.

He was detained with another 28-year-old man at the service station near junction 33 of the M4 motorway, close to the spa hotel in the Vale of Glamorgan where his team were staying.

South Wales Police said Powell was charged with "driving a mechanically propelled vehicle whilst unfit through drink".

He was arrested with the other man and subsequently failed a breathalyser test, police said. The men did not drive the buggy on to the motorway.

Mike Burton, Powell's agent, told BBC Radio Five Live the player was "very sorry and embarrassed about what happened".

He said: "Andy had been celebrating after Wales's victory over Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday. He had a friend come to see him the next morning, a chap who lives in Brecon who was going to drive him home. He's not another member of the team or anything.

"Andy got up at 6.30am, about 7am he went down for breakfast where the facilities were not ready so they said 'Why don't we go down to the motorway services where we can get something there?' They walked out of the reception area, there was a golf buggy there and they used that to get to the services where the police asked them how they got there."

He confirmed Powell failed the test and added: "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."

He is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on March 2.