Andy Powell’s league switch to Wigan from Sale

And the rugby league club have pledged to follow up with more signings from rugby union over the coming years.

The 31-year-old Powell, who was handed a 15-month ban after the incident in 2010, will take up a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Warriors from June 1 and is set to become a dual-code international by playing for Wales in the end-of-season World Cup.

The former Wasps, Cardiff, Newport and Scarlets player has been recruited to replace England prop Lee Mossop.

The Warriors have secured £250,000 in transfer fees for the pair, as well as the right to re-sign Mossop at the end of his spell in the NRL.

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan said he also expects England full-back Sam Tomkins to have a stint in the NRL, possibly as soon as 2014, as part of an exodus of players from Super League.

Powell, who toured South Africa with the Lions in 2009 and won the last of his 23 Welsh caps in February 2012, is the highest-profile convert from league to union since Gareth Thomas joined Crusaders in 2010.

Powell feels he can make the transition from the back row in union to prop in league. He said: “It’s not going to be easy, I know that, but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”

Powell will come under the wing of another dual-code international, Iestyn Harris, who is assistant to Shaun Wane but will be taking a special interest in the new recruit as head coach of the Welsh team.

“I played against Iestyn when I was playing for Scarlets and he was with Cardiff,” said Powell. “He’s going to give me a hand with the technical things.”