All Blacks 2011 World Cup-winner Israel Dagg opened up on Tuesday about the mental health battles that nearly drove him out of the game.
The 30-year-old outside back, who announced his retirement last week due to a chronic knee injury, says he descended into a mental difficulty after missing out on New Zealand selection for the 2015 World Cup and suffering a serious injury soon after.
He says: “I was down, I hated rugby.
“I was walking down the street and I would look at people and think to myself ‘he’s looking at me going ‘you’re a pu**y’ and ‘you’re so useless’.
“I was like, ‘nah I shouldn’t be feeling like this’.”
The 66-Test Dagg, renowned for his ability under the high ball and his deceptive sidestep, says he was ready to walk away from the game following the disappointment of 2015.
But when later recovering from a dislocated shoulder, he found solace in friends and family who helped him rediscover his love of the game.
He adds: “Having that close support network to get through those times was crucial.
“As men we don’t talk, and we need to talk.”