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Wasps sack Powell after brawl

London - Wales back-row forward Andy Powell is to leave Wasps "by mutual consent" after his part in a bar brawl in west London, the English Premiership club announced on Wednesday.

Powell and Wasps teammate Tim Payne, an England prop, were suspended by the club following a violent clash with football supporters.

Powell, bidding for a place in Wales's squad for this year's World Cup in New Zealand, said he had been knocked unconscious and required stitches in a head wound after what he claimed was "a bit of banter" with QPR fans in a bar escalated into a fight.

After looking into the incident Wasps lifted Payne's ban, but Powell had remained suspended pending further investigations.

And on Wednesday Wasps announced Powell, who only joined last year, was on his way out of the London club.

"London Wasps can today (Wednesday) announce that Andy Powell is to leave the club by mutual consent," said a club statement.

"This announcement comes following a thorough and detailed review, between the player and the club, of all of the evidence arising from the incident for which Andy was initially suspended. This included a review of CCTV footage of the incident and statements from those witnesses present throughout.

"Both parties are satisfied that this matter has been dealt with in a proper, fair and appropriate manner and agree that the conclusion reached is in their respective best interests for the future."

The statement added: "Both parties have also agreed that there will be no further comment from either side and the club considers the matter now closed.

Powell, who joined Wasps after being released early from his contract with Cardiff Blues, is no stranger to controversy.

Last year he was kicked out of Wales' Six Nations squad by coach Warren Gatland after being arrested for taking and driving away a golf buggy following a dramatic victory over Scotland.

Powell was arrested near a motorway junction close to Wales' training base in the Vale of Glamorgan.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to driving a mechanically-propelled vehicle while being unfit through drink and received a 15-month driving ban.

Powell, 29, has been capped 17 times by Wales, with the last of his Test appearances coming in this season's 26-19 Six Nations defeat by England in Cardiff in February.

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