Campbell Johnstone, New Zealand’s first openly gay All Black, has shared that he’s engaged to his partner Ben Thomson.
Campbell (above left) came out as gay in January in a big moment for the New Zealand national rugby team. The ex-player, who now coaches, said the global response was overwhelming and humbling.
Last week, Campbell shared on Instagram that he’d proposed and was “incredibly happy” the love of his life Ben (above right) said yes.
“Thank you @beniboinz for making this one of the happiest days ever,” he said.
Thomson also wrote that he’s “a fiancé now”, adding to his partner he “can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you”.
The sporty couple have been together for two years after first meeting at a New Zealand pub in 2016. After that, the men’s jobs took them both to different countries.
But both returned to New Zealand in 2020 because of the pandemic. The pair reconnected and have been together ever since, they told Woman’s Day magazine.
Campbell Johnstone proposed to Ben on Europe holiday
Campbell Johnstone said both of Ben’s parents had enthusiastically given him their blessing.
The couple said the proposal happened at sunrise in Cappadocia, Turkey on an incredible European holiday.
“It was a bit of an off-the-cuff speech, really,” Johnstone told the magazine.
“I just said, ‘Ben Thomson, will you do me the honour of marrying me?’ and he said yes.
“I was concentrating on not dropping the ring while I was putting it on. It’s quite a fiddly process.”
After Campbell Johnstone and Ben Thomson finish their travels through Egypt, Israel and Jordan, they’ll start planning the wedding, which both agree will happen “outside of rugby season”.
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