FORMER Wales star Andy Powell has started making his mark at his new club as he takes another step on his coaching career.

Powell, 43, has made the transition as head coach from Southwell, Nottingham over to Whitchurch, North Shropshire for the 2024-2025 season.

And the former Cardiff Blues player, who had 23 caps for Wales, has set his sights on promotion push within two years as he begins to make his own mark on the Regional 2 West Midlands club.

He said: “I’m excited to be here at Whitchurch, it’s a great club.

“I’d like to say to finish in the top half of the table would be my goal this year.

“And to get everybody back, playing well, having fun.

“If you can get everybody to play for you and have a smile on their face, that’s halfway there.”

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The former Wales No.8 has already guided the side to two wins from their opening first two games.

And with a thriving junior scene, Powell is optimistic about nurturing the best results out of the club’s junior section.

He said: “I think the club has got such a good junior section.

“If we can get some of them players in every week, we could be very good side. But that doesn't happen overnight.”

Dave Windsor, Chairman of Whitchurch RFC, said: “The difference I’ve noticed since Andy coming, there’s a whole new buzz about the club somehow.”

Powell played professional rugby for 18 years before hanging up his boots in 2016. He joined Brecan RFC as senior coach in 2017 and since then, has coached at two clubs.

He has been candid about his mental health struggles since retiring from playing.

He said: “I had a structure in my life.

“I went off the rails, drank every day for about a year until I don’t know what it was.

“I just stopped and that’s how I joined Brecon.”

Powell reflected on how the conversation around mental health within sport has changed for the better.

He said: “Now you have so much more support with mental health.

“When I first started being a professional, people didn’t want to help you, you were coached differently, you couldn’t be the person you were supposed to be.

“The biggest thing is to talk, you don't need to be ashamed of talking.”

Powell, who was a member of the British and Irish Lions in 2009 to South Africa recalled his favourite moment whilst on tour.  

He said: “The second test, it was just the most brutal test ever.

“I can remember the boys in the changing rooms were just battered and didn't want to speak.

“So, Gats goes, right, we're not training for four days, we just got the beers out on the bus, and said, right, forget about it now, one more test to go.

“We went back training on Thursday, and we demolished the Springboks on Saturday.”

Powell was optimistic about what can be expected of Wales’ performance in fixtures with Fiji, Australia and South Africa in the Autumn Internationals 2024.

 “I think people forget, from 2008 to 2013 Wales were probably top four in the world,” said dad-of-two Powell, who also runs an individual coaching academy- Ap8academy.

“They've lost some of the biggest names in rugby but we're going through this transition now.

“I think we have to target Australia and Fiji, if we can get two wins out of three, that would be things back on track.

“But we've got some exciting players to look forward to.”