He became the 1000th All Black when he made his debut against Samoa in 2001. Since then he established himself as one of the elite props in world rugby.[citation needed] In 2005, Hayman played for the New Zealand Māori, against Fiji in Suva and against the British & Irish Lions at Hamilton. In 2006 he was shortlisted as one of 5 candidates for New Zealand Player of the Year.[citation needed] On 19 April 2007 it was announced that Hayman had signed a three-year contract with Premiership Rugby side Newcastle Falcons, turning down an offer from league champions Sale Sharks to do so.
A club source said of the signing "every top club in Europe has been chasing him, but he’s chosen to come to Newcastle and we’re delighted he has made that decision".[3][4] Hayman is strong enough to box squat 250 kg (550 lb).
Hayman led the haka leader in 7 tests in 2006-2007. At least 5 times he led the Ka Mate version of the haka as well as 2 times the newer Kapa o Pango haka.[citation needed]
On 6 January 2015, Hayman announced his retirement from professional rugby at the end of the 2014–15 Top 14 season.[6]
Dementia diagnosis
Hayman was diagnosed with dementia in July 2021.[7] He cites his rugby career as being the leading cause to this condition, telling RNZ that he approximated he had "endured tens of thousands of minor concussions, not including years of training sessions" and that "it's the repetition of knocks to the head – not so much big concussions – that have done the damage here". Hayman has said that he was in denial about his diagnosis, and that he turned to alcohol in order to cope.[8]
Hayman has joined a group of over 150 former sportspersons to lodge a class-action lawsuit against rugby and soccer governing bodies, alleging that the bodies had failed to protect players from early onset neurological conditions caused by sports related injuries.[9] The bodies in question included World Rugby, Rugby Football Union, and the Welsh Rugby Union. The suit issued a number of claims, including claims that the governing bodies failed to educate players about the risk of brain damage and maintain the 21-day stand down period after concussions, and that their assessments during a match (assessments which the lawyers argued were five to ten minutes in duration) were inadequate. Other players involved in the lawsuit include former English rugby union player Steve Thompson, and former Wales player Alix Popham - both of whom have also been diagnosed with early onset dementia.[10]
Publications
Head On: An All Black's memoir of rugby, dementia, and the hidden cost of success, 2023, HarperCollins, IBSN 9781775492665
