New Zealand’s Dan Carter played 112 Tests, won two Rugby World Cups and retired as the game’s leading scorer, but says that he is facing one of his toughest challenges this month — growing a moustache to raise awareness about mental health.
“I can’t grow a strong mo’ [moustache],” Carter, who normally only has to shave about twice per week, said in an interview yesterday. “I have done bits and pieces over the years, but never committed to growing one for a month.”
“It’s been just over a week and it’s pathetic really,” he added.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The 38-year-old’s commitment to his “slug” is related to the global charity Movember, which focuses on men’s health issues, although he is particularly interested in raising awareness of mental health and suicide among men.
Carter has started a social media campaign #keeptheballgoing, where people are encouraged to film themselves catching a ball and then “passing it on” to three friends as a way of “checking in” on their mental health.
He added that it is particularly important this year, because the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated people’s anxiety about job security and their health.
“A man commits suicide every minute around the world,” Carter said. “Three out of four suicides are men as well — so it’s a serious issue. I knew it was bad, but I didn’t realize until recently just how bad it was.”
Carter said that he knew people who committed suicide and while he battled with his own ups and downs throughout his storied rugby career, he was lucky enough to have support from family and friends.
The stigma around discussing mental health is slowly diminishing, with former All Blacks winger John Kirwan instrumental in elevating the issue in normally stoic New Zealand’s collective consciousness, he added.
“He has been amazing,” Carter said of Kirwan’s revelation of his battles with depression and work to challenge attitudes toward it.
“The work he has done around men’s mental health and mental health [in general]... He is a real advocate for it and doing a great job,” he said.
Carter has also reached out to the current All Blacks, especially captain Sam Cane, to get the team involved.
Scrumhalf Brad Weber said during a video conference yesterday that he is also participating in Movember, although his efforts are not that prominent.
“It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one growing a pathetic moustache,” Carter said, laughing. “[But] you don’t have to grow a moustache. It’s more just an opportunity to reach out to a few mates, and to check in and create awareness.”
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
RSS