The first All Black to publicly come out as gay has taken on a new role, more than three years after making rugby history.
Former New Zealand prop Campbell Johnstone revealed he was gay in January 2023. He became the first man to have represented the All Blacks to publicly do so.
Now 46, Johnstone has continued to use his platform to push for greater inclusion in sport.
He has now been named as an official ambassador for the Rainbow Games 2026, which will be held in Auckland from October 29 to November 1.
The event brings together LGBTQIA+ athletes and allies, with Johnstone joining a group of ambassadors from across sport and entertainment.
Johnstone said when he came out that he hoped speaking publicly would help remove some of the pressure felt by other players hiding their sexuality.
His All Blacks career
Johnstone won three caps for New Zealand during 2005.
The former prop also represented Canterbury and made more than 70 appearances for the Crusaders during a successful spell in Super Rugby.
Two of his three All Blacks appearances came against the British and Irish Lions during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.
He later played club rugby overseas before retiring.
Life after his historic announcement
Johnstone's life has changed significantly since he publicly came out.
He married his partner Ben Thomson in 2024, while his story will soon be told in much greater detail.
His upcoming memoir, Bluffing: My Story of Rugby, Identity and Hiding in Plain Sight, is due to be released in February 2027.
The book will explore Johnstone's experience of pursuing his dream of becoming an All Black while keeping his sexuality private.
It will also look at the pressures he faced during his professional career and his eventual decision to accept his identity.
More than two decades after pulling on the famous black jersey, Johnstone's impact on New Zealand rugby is now extending well beyond his three Test appearances.
