'Rugby has your back' - Johnstone embraced as first gay All Black

Contents:

• FIRST ALL BLACK PLAYER TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY TELLS HIS STORY
• FIRST ALL BLACK NEW ZEALAND PLAYER OUT AS OPENLY GAY
• 'RUGBY HAS YOUR BACK' - JOHNSTONE EMBRACED AS FIRST GAY ALL BLACK
• RUGBY STARS REACT AS CAMPBELL JOHNSTONE BE FIRST OPENLY GAY ALL BLACK
• AT LAST, A GAY ALL BLACK

FIRST ALL BLACK PLAYER TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY TELLS HIS STORY

Today is a signifint day, bee for the first time an All Black is puttg on the rerd publicly that he’s gay. The prop played three All Black Tt match 2005 and ma 72 appearanc for Canterbury and 38 for the told his fay and close iends he was gay but tonight he’s openg up publicly the hope will help other players. "If I n be the first All Black that out as gay and take away the prsure and stigma surroundg the issue n actually help other people, " Johnstone said.

Sign up to our ee sport newsletter for all the latt news on everythg om cyclg to boxgSign up to our ee sport email for all the latt newsFormer New Zealand prop Campbell Johnstone has bee the first All Black to e out as gay, sayg on a televisn programme he had been “livg a lie” and leadg “a double life” before acknowledgg his sexualy. “If I n be the first All Black that out as gay and take away the prsure and stigma surroundg the issue n actually help other people, ” Johnstone said.

FIRST ALL BLACK NEW ZEALAND PLAYER OUT AS OPENLY GAY

We want to be clear, no matter who you love, gby has your back, ” Robson Zealand Sports Mister and former puty Prime Mister Grant Robertson, who is gay, thanked Johnstone for “blazg this trail” and said his announcement was “a big moment”.

Campbell Johnstone has been praised for his bravery after makg headl around the world for g out as the first openly gay All Black. "As a young guy, a gay guy, growg up playg gby, I probably uld never image there would be a gay, out there All Black and Campbell has shown such extraordary urage and bravery. "I thk this is the kd of thg that will, I hope, spire younger, gay gby players - even on that are active now - to know that they n e out, affirm who they are, and they'll be role mols as well.

(Source: Photosport)"I'm probably like a lot of gay guys who played gby when I was younger; I gave the game away partly bee I didn't like some of the culture that was around the game but I subsequently me back to play for a gay gby team which I was lucky to do.

'RUGBY HAS YOUR BACK' - JOHNSTONE EMBRACED AS FIRST GAY ALL BLACK

Photo / GettyCurrent All Blacks have praised former prop Campbell Johnstone after he has bee the first All Black to publicly e out as gay. “If I n be the first All Black that out as gay and take away the prsure and the stigma surroundg the whole issue then n actually help other people. "I'm also hopg to help open the door for anyone stgglg this space" ❤️Former All Blacks prop Campbell Johnstone has e out as the first openly gay male New Zealand gby player — World Rugby (@WorldRugby) January 30, 2023.

Sport Mister and openly gay MP Grant Robertson shared his support for Johnstone on Instagram, llg “a big moment”. ”In 2019, All Black halfback TJ Perenara spoke out about his support for the Rabow muny and the age-old qutn - are Kiwis ready for a gay All Black?

”Perenara said he uldn’t speak on behalf of the All Blacks on whether fans would be ready for an openly gay All Black, but he hoped Kiwis were. Maybe they thk a gay gby player plays differently om everyone else? One thg's for sure, no other gay man will ntemplate g out, seeg the news splashed over natn-wi media, mands for terviews, photos and so on.

RUGBY STARS REACT AS CAMPBELL JOHNSTONE BE FIRST OPENLY GAY ALL BLACK

A gay All Black is no news at all. I've heard many people say many tim over the years that there are no gays gby.

All gby players are gay. How long till we have an openly gay pope? I reckon most gay blok would turn straight if they saw the fat hairy blok I played wh washg their arse the showers...

AT LAST, A GAY ALL BLACK

We have had a gay fance mister.