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'I'd think to myself 'he's looking at me going 'you're a pu**y' and 'you're so useless''

Israel Dagg. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Former All Black Israel Dagg has opened up about his battles with mental health.

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Earlier this month the 30-year-old retired from the game after taking medical advice, succumbing to a long-term knee injury which didn’t allow him to train and play at an elite level.

Dagg, a vastly decorated player, began his career in 2006 when he made his debut as an 18-year-old for his Hawke’s Bay provincial side. He ended his career having played 66 Tests for the All Blacks over eight years (2010-2017), 89 matches for the Crusaders (2011-2018), 25 games for the Highlanders (2009-2010), and 50 appearances for his beloved Hawke’s Bay Magpies (2006-2015).

But now Dagg has revealed his struggles when speaking to the All Blacks podcast.

“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’.”

Continue reading below…

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A World Cup winner in 2011, one of his big disappointments in his career came when he missed out on selection for the 2015 tournament in England.

Dagg admitted he considered walking away from the game then, but when recovering from a dislocated shoulder he says that family and friends re-ignited his passion for the game.

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“Having that close support network to get through those times was crucial. As men we don’t talk and we need to talk,” he revealed.

“You can’t bottle it up and do everything on your own. It is too hard and it will weigh you down,” he said.

“If there is one thing I’ve learned it is just to talk to people. It’s OK to cry.

“I’ve had moments when I’ve cried to my best mates and I’ve cried to my wife and there’s some people out there that might think I’m a pu**y and weak, but I don’t care. People cry and need to share their emotions.”

Dagg managed to force his way back into the All Blacks side and would achieve back-to-back Super Rugby championships with the Crusaders in 2017 and 2018.

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In other news: Waratahs scrumhalf Nick Phipps speaks about Folau saga

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GabrielArthur 58 minutes ago
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GS 2 hours ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Whilst I dislike what is occurring with the French clubs, they are not the only parties involved in this activity. You can also look to Ireland and its “Project Player” Scheme, or how Scotland picks players with zero background who have never lived in Scotland.


But market forces will dictate where players will end up.


If RA wants to retain these players, then it should offer them remuneration in line with or better than what the French clubs can. The NZRFU should have offered Aki, Lowe, or Fergus Burke a higher salary than what was offered by the likes of Irish Rugby, Sacarens, etc., if it wanted to retain them.


These kids going to France and the aforementioned Kiwi players are attempting to build a career and financial security in a career that can end with one injury. Think about that—one bad injury, and your career is over, so just like anyone, they have to make the smart, informed decision that is right for them and their families.


If the likes of Oz and NZ can’t or are not prepared to match the $$$, so be it - this is the reality of professional rugby, and whilst it turns the international game into a glorified club comp, I’m not sure if there is any solution.


And let’s remember it’s not all negative. This movement of players from Nth to South gives kids like Blair Murray or Taine Plumtree the ability to earn good $$ and experience international rugby, when let’s face it, they would at best be on the fringes of a Super Rugby squad - so it’s not all bad!

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GabrielArthur 2 hours ago
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Last month, I faced a nightmare scenario when the entire balance of SOL I held in my MetaMask wallet was abruptly transferred to an unknown address. One moment, my funds were secure; the next, they’d vanished without a trace. I frantically reviewed my transaction history, double-checked permissions, and scanned my devices for malware, but found no obvious breach. Panic turned to despair as I realized my savings accumulated through years of cautious investing were gone. Desperate for answers, I contacted MetaMask support, only to be told that their team couldn’t reverse or trace decentralized transactions. They speculated that my wallet had been compromised, possibly via a phishing scam, a malicious dApp, or a leaked recovery phrase, but I couldn’t pinpoint where I’d gone wrong. Feeling helpless, I combed through Reddit threads and crypto forums, where I stumbled upon TRUST GEEKS HACK EXPERT Website https://trustgeekshackexpert.com/ , a service hailed for its success in reclaiming stolen assets. Though skeptical after all, everything I’d read suggested crypto theft was irreversible I decided to take a leap of faith and submitted my case details, including transaction IDs and wallet addresses. Their team responded within hours, outlining a meticulous plan to trace the stolen SOL across the blockchain and collaborate with exchanges to intercept the funds. Over the next week, TRUST GEEKS HACK EXPERT provided daily updates, revealing how the thief had funneled my SOL through a labyrinth of wallets to obscure its trail. Using advanced blockchain forensics, they identified patterns linking the movement of funds to a known exchange. By working with legal teams and platform security, they flagged the stolen crypto before it could be liquidated. Their expertise and determination were evident as they navigated the complexities of the blockchain, piecing together the puzzle of my stolen assets. Against all odds, their relentless efforts paid off: within 9 days, they recovered 100% of my stolen SOL and safely redirected it to a new, fortified wallet. This experience taught me the importance of vigilance in the crypto space and the value of seeking help from experts when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. I learned that while the decentralized nature of cryptocurrency offers many advantages, it also comes with risks that require constant awareness and proactive measures. Contact service E m a i l: Trustgeekshackexpert[At]fastservice[Dot]com & w h a t's A p p. +1 7 1 9 4 9 2 2 6 9 3

7 Go to comments
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