Former All Black Campbell Johnstone Speaks Out

In January, former All Black Campbell Johnstone, 43, made headlines around the world by speaking publicly about his sexuality for the first time. It was a watershed moment for the game and a deeply personal one for the New Zealander, Jack Murley reports on a recent episode of the BBC’s LGBT Sport Podcast.

Johnstone was All Black number 1056 and played in three Tests in 2005. He made 72 appearances for Canterbury and 38 for the Crusaders before retiring in 2012, Murley reports.

On the outside, there was little to separate the prop from any of the men who’d come before him. But on the inside, Johnstone knew different.

He’d realised he might be gay as a teenager and feared it could be the end of his rugby dreams.

The discretion and support of Johnstone’s team-mates allowed him to tell his story at his own pace, in his own way.

“Hopefully, this has helped to clear the path,” Johnstone says.

Original article by Jack Murley, BBC, February 22, 2023.