Powell has since been handed a 15-month driving ban but upon his re-selection for the team this week Gatland was quick to state the incident had been forgotten about.

And with tough looking Tests against South Africa and New Zealand to come in June Gatland believes Powell is just the man the side need to challenge the world’s best.

“He’s probably the most powerful athlete we have got in this squad and if we can get him right in terms of building his confidence and getting him playing I think he can have an impact for us,” said Powell.

“He is there on merit and it’s a big chance for him. He's been remorseful about what he's done and he desperately wants to be part of this squad, to show he's capable of playing at the highest level.”