[1][2] He also helped Wasps win the Heineken Cup in 2004; his late try in the final won them the game against Toulouse.

He was selected for the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa, prompting speculation of a match-up with the Springboks' Joost van der Westhuizen, but Howley suffered a tour-ending shoulder injury in a match against Natal prior to the start of the test series.

Howley made the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia and played in the first two tests before succumbing to injury.

In April 2012, Howley temporarily covered the day-to-day running of the coaching team, after Warren Gatland suffered two broken heels while on holiday in New Zealand.

[7] Rob Howley continued his caretaker role in the 2012 Autumn Internationals as Gatland was selected as head coach of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.

On 17 September 2019 Rob Howley was sent home from Wales' Rugby World Cup training camp in Japan for a breach of sports betting rules.

[11] He was later banned for 18 months with nine suspended after being found guilty of placing 363 bets on rugby union, covering 1,163 matches in total.