Andy Powell switching to Rugby League

Andy Powell: Sale star to switch codes and join Wigan

Sale's Andy Powell will switch codes at the end of the season to join Super League side Wigan, according to Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond.

Diamond had hoped to keep the 31-year-old Wales international forward, who has been with Sale since May 2011, at the Salford City Stadium.

But he told BBC Radio Manchester: "Andy won't be with us next year.

"He's signed for Wigan for three years, although I don't know the in-depth details of the contract."

Source: BBC

Always seemed to me he had a play style that might do well in RL, signing for Wigan is no mean feat either with them sitting at the top of the Super League at the moment. This can only be a good thing for Welsh RL as with the collapse of the Crusaders a well known figure moving to RL is just what they needed right now.

think his style of play will suit league, although it will take him some time to get use to the game. remember alfie's first game of league against Catalans dragons? got knocked out cold with his body position running into the tackle!

Good luck to him. Chav rugby will probably suit him better anyway I'd say.

I think Powell's upright running will suit league. Always have. It's a massive club he's signing for (if true), so they obviously see something in him.

At 31 is it not a bit late to be swapping codes?

I would suspect he'd be on less pay, or at best around the same pay.

Good luck to him, I don't think he'd have been a target for a region.

Kingshu wrote:At 31 is it not a bit late to be swapping codes?

I would suspect he'd be on less pay, or at best around the same pay.

Good luck to him, I don't think he'd have been a target for a region.

No not really. Lots of players have switched both ways at that age. Usually unsucessfully but Im sure playing for Sale and being out of favour with Wales means his union options arent exactly over abundant.

I really hope he does well. He has been one of the more interesting and flamboyant characters in our game for better or worse. The last game I saw him play for Sale was the LV cup Semi and he looked very good then, so he isn’t past it yet. It'd be nice to see him do well at Wigan and if he does i think he has the ability to become a fan favourite as he tends to wear his heart on his sleeve and each time I’ve ran in to him on a night out in Cardiff he's always been good enough to stop and chat to people and pose for photographs. Nice bloke, silly hair. Good luck Andy.

He has the correct level of brain cells for League......ONE!

I still think that Powell will struggle with defence. He switches off too often in Union, in League that could be disastrous. He needs to be in the right position, play-after-play or he will be seriously exposed.

Is Wigan not near the motorway (possibly so that you get get out of it quickly?) and does his salary package include a company car/golf cart?
Seriously, though, I think his game may be quite well suited to league

He knocks on a hell of a lot - not great for league with bigger hits and more collisions.

League is in many ways a simpler game especially in the forwards with no rucking or mauling. It places different demands on players which I think he'll adapt to, how quickly I can't guess. League pay is not as high as Union for the most part but he may not have had that good a deal at Sale. Never been a fan but good luck to him, hope he makes it work.

He'll do well, good luck powelly, in 2009 he was a total beast getting on the lions tour, he had some rampaging performances for wales, against the springboks particularly.