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'I'm just happy to be alive': Blues midfielder retires from rugby after 19-hour operation

By Online Editors
Matt Johnson. (Photo by William Booth/Getty Images)

Matt Johnson is grateful to be alive and content to call time on his inspiring rugby career.

Early last month the former Blues, Northland, Southland and Counties Manukau midfielder underwent his third open-heart surgery – his fourth procedure all told in what must be one of rugby’s greatest tales of resilience and perseverance.

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Johnson’s latest operation was by far his most traumatic, lasting 19 hours and leaving him with an open chest in an induced coma for six days.

During surgery he needed eight donated blood bags – the entire body volume two times over – and while in the coma he lost 10 kilograms.

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“I thought it was three to four hours when I woke up. My heart wouldn’t start up again and that’s when I had to go on life support,” Johnson says with a soft voice as his vocal cords continue to recover from surgery.

“Seeing the photos, that’s what really made me think about life and be grateful because it could have gone either way so I’m happy to be on this side. It’s pretty scary hearing about being on life support so I’m very grateful to the medical team. I was really emotional when I woke up. I think about it most days, how grateful I am to be alive.”

Johnson’s complications began when he contracted rheumatic fever – a disease that attacks the heart’s valves – at 13-years-old.

Following his first heart surgery to insert an aortic valve replacement he was told he would never play rugby again, but after speaking with Robbie Fruean, the former Junior All Black who suffered similar heart issues, Johnson returned to the field to forge a successful professional career that also took him to the Melbourne Storm and to play rugby in Leeds.

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In 2018, the same year he broke into Tana Umaga’s Blues squad, Johnson refused to give up the dream and thus opted to again go under the knife to replace the valve.

Four-and-a-half months after that second heart surgery Johnson was back on the field, only for major issues to arise last March when he had a stent inserted after discovering he had been functioning with an 85 per cent blocked coronary artery for two years.

In that time Johnson played for Southland, Northland and in two trial matches for Counties Manukau earlier this year.

“I was functioning on 15 per cent blood flow. I had no idea. I was at St Peter’s School sitting down in a meeting and my chest started feeling tight.”

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The worst was yet to come.

During lockdown, Johnson began experiencing fevers, chills and aching muscles. Some days he couldn’t walk because his calves were that sore. Everything looked fine with his blood tests but stomach aches and sharp pains signalled all was not well.

After two weeks in hospital testing eventually identified a 5cm growth mass in Johnson’s stomach. Bacteria had spread, and doctors then found a growth on his heart that needed immediate surgery to prevent the onset of a stroke.

“If they weren’t able to put the stent in I would’ve needed a bypass so I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case because I’d just had one two years ago. When they put the stent in we were really happy, and then they found out when they opened me for this surgery that the stent got lodged into the heart which isn’t good. I felt normal – it was just the fever and aching muscles that made me go back.”

Emerging from the coma, one month after arriving at Auckland hospital, following his third heart surgery Johnson couldn’t lift his arms and had to learn to walk again.

The experience was even more distressing for Johnson’s fiancé, Sky Sport commentator, presenter and rugby player Taylah Hodson-Tomokino, who watched events unfold from the sidelines.

Despite his deep love for the game, Johnson is at peace with his immediate retirement.

“It was a struggle for the first two weeks physically and mentally. I had to medically retire because of the mechanical value and blood thinning medication. If I get a hit or knock it could lead to internal bleeding and blood clots so that means no contact. I can do everything else just not rugby.

“Everyone talks about how am I feeling not playing anymore and having to retire at 26, but I’m not that fussed to be honest. I’m just happy to be alive.

“I’m changing my view on life and trying to connect more with family, friends and live as much as I can. Dad never liked me playing rugby. Mum was always scared because of my heart so she’s happy I’ve stopped too. They can get that stress off their shoulders now.

“Everyone keeps asking when I can play again and I can’t go through the whole story so hopefully they can read this.”

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Reflecting on a career that involved confronting more tremors than most will ever face, Johnson knows he could do no more having repeatedly put his life on the line to pursue his dream.

“I’m proud with what I accomplished in my 11 years playing rugby with my heart. I think to myself sometimes how far I could have gone without the condition and I’m grateful for what I’ve done in my 26 years so far. I’m thankful to be here.

“I never thought I’d play again – I never thought I’d play at professional level either – so I was grateful to be back on the field. Robbie was a massive influence on me. I talked with him after my second surgery and before this one as well. He said to make the most of rugby and the connections it provides as well.”

That’s exactly what Johnson plans to do next.

Two days after surgery he called Counties coach Tai Lavea to say he wouldn’t be available this season. Lavea insisted he wanted Johnson involved in a coaching capacity and the union will now put him through his papers. With this pathway in mind, Johnson is already viewing the game in a more analytical light.

St Peter’s College has, likewise, reached out by committing to push Johnson through his post-graduate teaching course with the prospect of a physical education role at the end of it.

A life that so easily could have ended last month is instead taking a different turn.

“Everything is falling into place for the start of my next chapter.”

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Jon 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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john 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

30 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

30 Go to comments
T
Trevor 12 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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