WHAT IT'S LIKE TO...BE THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ALL BLACK

Former New Zealand prop Campbell Johnstone on breaking a glass ceiling

- Campbell Burnes

UNTIL JANUARY this year, the most famous quote attributed to Campbell Johnstone’s rugby was that he had “the best right shoulder in the game”. That came from Steve Hansen in June 2005 to a roomful of hungover journos in Napier.

The Crusaders tighthead had just been named as an All Black for the first time. It was a surprise, given a tighthead logjam around then that included Carl Hayman, John Afoa, Greg Somerville and Neemia Tialata. Johnstone played three Tests that year, one against Fiji and two against the touring Lions. That was the zenith of his rugby fame until January 2023 when he publicly came out as the first openly gay former All Black.

It was big news at the time. But to get to that point, let us retread the varied journey of All Black No 1,056. Though seen as a Cantabrian and Crusader, Johnstone hails from Hawke’s Bay. He went to Lindisfarne College and played twice for Mark Shaw’s Magpies in 2000 when they were short of props. He was already ensconced in the system, having represented NZ U16, Schools, U19 and Universities. Like Somerville, he was a Hawke’s Bay lad who headed to Canterbury, at first for his Bachelor of Commerce at Lincoln University. Despite huge depth at prop, Johnstone found a foothold, winning the 2004 NPC with Canterbury and sharing in three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders.

“You were like brothers. It was always your mates and team first. Everyone was on the same page,” says Johnstone, now 43. “Greg Somerville was a good mate and I learned a lot from him. Con Barrell, Dave Hewett and Greg Feek were also there. The list went on, Wyatt Crockett and the Franks brothers were coming through. Everyone helped out. It was ‘The Crusader Way’.”