Coaches knew of Howlett shame

Daniel Hambury

THE MORNING AFTER: Sione Lauaki, one of seven players staying at the Hilton when a group of All Blacks reportedly ran up an enormous bar bill there, outside the hotel the morning after Doug Howlett's drunken rampage.

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Manager Darren Shand, fronting a media conference in Christchurch this afternoon, said he and the All Blacks coaches had learned of the incident in which Howlett vandalised two cars at Heathrow Airport's Hilton Hotel, before boarding a connecting flight from Tokyo to New Zealand.

The knowledge of Howlett's actions did not stop coaching staff praising the squad as fantastic role models around the world for New Zealanders. Coach Graham Henry even made special mention of their hotel behaviour.

"I'm very proud of how they conduct themselves as people," Henry said yesterday.

"They're marvellous role models for this country.

"A number of people have said to me what a tremendous group of young men you've got there ... during the World Cup and previous tours.

"It's been phenomenal. They believe they're the best young sporting team that ever stays in their hotels, the most open and friendly and easy to get along with," Henry said.

All Blacks manager Darren Shand said no other players were involved in the vandalism of cars before Howlett was arrested by police at 3am Tuesday (London time).

Howlett was drinking at the hotel with seven team-mates and nine members of the All Blacks management group, racking up an alleged $31,000 drinks and food tab, before leaving the hotel to jump on some cars.

"The All Blacks management are extremely disappointed in this incident that has occurred," Shand said.

"On the back of the weekend's result, it's extremely disappointing for us ... Doug said he takes full responsibility."

Shand said All Blacks media manager Scott Compton, who acted as the team's manager in his absence, was among those drinking with Howlett. He also said some members of the team's leadership were there.

None witnessed the incident, he said.

Shand added the incident stepped way behind the boundaries of acceptable behaviour for the All Blacks.

Shand said he had no knowledge of the alleged $31,000 spent on the bar tab or who paid the bill.

Howlett, due to take up a 2½-year role with Irish club Munster in January, could also face disciplinary action as his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union does not expire until the end of this year.

"From a New Zealand rugby perspective, we are going to wait until that is completed, and police have closed down that side of the investigation, and then we will go into our own internal process on a misconduct scale and determine where we would see things," Shand said.

Shand said options open to the NZRFU under the disciplinary sections of the contract started and counselling and worked up to a possible termination of contract.

Howlett was, according to Shand, going to "follow up with the owners of the cars to sort that side of it out".

Britain's Daily Telegraph has claimed that after Howlett and his teammates ran up the tab Howlett then went outside and bounced up and down on two cars, smashing the windscreen of a BMW.

One staff member, who refused to be named, told the Daily Telegraph: "There were about five to seven players drinking in the bar. They looked as if they were pretty down in the dumps after they lost and they ran up a ?12,500 bar bill over several hours.

"It wasn't just them, it was other members of the squad as well and it included food.

"They were behaving themselves while they were in the bar, but then for some reason, a couple of them decided to go outside and that was where it all kicked off.

"I heard they were bouncing up and down on several cars parked just outside the hotel and that was when we phoned the police."

Malcolm Stuart, NewstalkZB's London correspondent also reported that there was a massive bar bill involved.

Howlett, who was arrested and released on bail, must report back to British police later this month and could be charged with causing criminal damage.

He is staying in Europe for two weeks and took the unusual step of issuing a video apology overnight.

He admitted in the video that he had been drinking.

Howlett, New Zealand's record test try-scorer didn't feature in the quarterfinal match that New Zealand lost 20-18 after being controversially dropped.