All Blacks great Israel Dagg has lifted the lid on his personal struggles after walking away from professional rugby.
Dagg, 38, retired from the game in 2019 due to a persistent knee injury, after having represented New Zealand on 66 occasions.
In the immediate aftermath of his decision, the fan favourite began struggling with identity issues and his relationship with his family disintegrated.
‘You go from having everything done … people doing your laundry, your car … and as soon as you retire, bang, you’re gone,’ Dagg told the Between Two Beers Podcast.
‘That period from retirement to a few years ago, was crazy.’
Dagg suffered further heartbreak when he lost his mother Horiana to cancer.
Israel Dagg (pictured) has opened up about his struggles post-retirement
The 38-year-old (pictured left) enjoyed widespread success with the All Blacks during his career
Dagg (pictured) represented the All Blacks in 66 matches
The retired footy star (pictured right of his wife Daisy) left his family for a short period of time so he could improve his mental health
‘(I) retired, mum died, and (I) hit rock bottom,’ Dagg continued.
Dagg began turning to parties and outside experiences to distract himself from his problems in the real world.
He moved away from his family in 2023 when he reached his lowest point – before rekindling his relationship with long-time wife Daisy.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup winner has since revealed the damning effects of his torrid time, and how he will never forget that dark period.
‘I hurt a lot of people. I embarrassed my family. That will live with me for the rest of my life,’ he said.
Despite the difficult situation he found himself in, Dagg has been able to emerge from the darkness and find his way back to a comfortable position.
He has since revealed his methods of doing so, and provided advice to any people enduring a similar sort of mental battle.
‘You gotta own it. You f***** up,’ Dagg said.
‘Like for me, I used depression as an excuse.
‘Look in the mirror, and that person in the mirror, and if you can comfortably own your s***, it’s a great feeling.’
Dagg now co-hosts a podcast with former teammate Stephen Donald, and boasts more than 129,000 followers on Instagram.
