KEY POINTS:
Doug Howlett's drunken antics in London isn't the first time the All Black has landed himself in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
But he has also become involved with children's charities and has launched his own foundation to help under-privileged kids.
Celebrating a Super 12 win with Auckland Blues teammates in 2003, Howlett was part of a group who were kicked out of the Spy Bar.
At the time, manager Chris Barron said he had told his doormen to remove the players after one he could only identify as the "dickhead with shaggy black hair" began behaving badly on the dance floor.
It later emerged that Mils Muliaina was the offender-in-chief in the incident, which spilled out on to Quay St where a brawl broke out.
Muliaina was left with a puffy eye, while Howlett ended up on the ground in the ensuing fight, witnesses said. Police documents showed that Howlett was blamed for throwing a glass and smashing it against a wall inside the bar.
But that incident is seen by those who know Howlett as a rarity. One old school-friend wrote on Howlett's website: "Everyone who either knows you personally or has followed your career over the past decade knows that this event is out of character for you."
In May this year, the 29-year-old was among the leaders group of players for the Auckland Blues, which determined there would be a no drinking policy while on tour in Perth.
He is known to be devoted to his wife, Monique Everard, who gave birth to the couple's first child in July.
And earlier this year he launched the Doug Howlett Outreach Foundation to assist disadvantaged children between the ages of 8 and 14 who show promise in both academic and sporting areas.
He said at the time he had donated "quite a few thousand dollars" to a new charity that will pay for sports club fees and uniforms, school fees, books and stationery for 50 to 100 young people a year.
The foundation also provides personal mentoring from Howlett and eventually he hopes to set up activities such as an annual camp.
Howlett, an All Black since 2000, attended Auckland Grammar School after May Rd Primary in Mt Roskill.
In 2005 he became a founding patron of the KidsCan Charitable Trust.
