Israel Dagg facts for kids
Dagg during the World Cup celebration parade, October 2011
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| Full name | Israel Jamahl Akuhata Dagg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 June 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Marton, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (212 lb; 15 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Lindisfarne College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Israel Jamahl Akuhata Dagg (born 6 June 1988) is a famous former New Zealand rugby union player. He played as a fullback or wing. Israel Dagg was known for his speed and skill on the field.
He played for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition. He also represented Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic league. From 2010 to 2017, Dagg played for the All Blacks, New Zealand's national team. He had to retire from rugby in 2019 because of ongoing knee injuries. After retiring, he joined the Sky Sport NZ rugby commentary team.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Rugby
Israel Dagg was born in Marton, New Zealand. He went to Lindisfarne College in Hastings. Israel Dagg has Māori and Samoan family roots. His Māori heritage comes from the Ngāti Kahungunu tribe.
Early Career Highlights
While still in high school, Dagg played for Hawke's Bay at younger age levels. He was selected for the Hawke's Bay senior team in 2006. This was a big achievement because he was the first high school player to be chosen since Danny Lee. The New Zealand Rugby Almanack even named him one of the top five promising players for 2006.
International Rugby Career
Israel Dagg played for the All Blacks from 2010 to 2017. He scored 26 tries during his international career. He is one of the most-capped (most games played) outside backs in All Black history.
2010: All Blacks Debut
Dagg played his first game for the All Blacks on 12 June 2010 against Ireland. He scored his first international try for the All Blacks against South Africa. This try helped New Zealand win the game. His second try came against South Africa in the final minute of the game, securing a win for the All Blacks.
2011: Rugby World Cup Champion
In the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Dagg was one of the top try scorers. He scored the very first try of the tournament against Tonga. He scored five tries in total during the tournament, which was the second-highest number.
Dagg played in the final against France. The All Blacks won the final, making Israel Dagg a Rugby World Cup champion. After the tournament, he was named one of the Top 5 players of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
2012: Strong Performances
Dagg played in all three games against Ireland in New Zealand. He also started in all the 2012 Rugby Championship matches for the All Blacks. He scored three tries during the Rugby Championship. The All Blacks won both the Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship trophy that year.
2013: Undefeated Season
In 2013, Dagg played in almost every All Blacks match. Even though he didn't score many tries, he was excellent at setting up tries for his teammates. The All Blacks had an amazing year, winning every single game they played.
2014: Dealing with Injuries
Dagg faced some injury problems in 2014. These injuries sometimes kept him off the field. He worked hard to regain his starting position as fullback.
2015: Missing the World Cup
2015 was a tough year for Dagg due to many injuries. He played only a few games for the Crusaders and the All Blacks. Because of these injuries, he unfortunately missed out on being chosen for New Zealand's 2015 Rugby World Cup squad.
2016: Big Comeback
Dagg made a great recovery from his shoulder injury in 2016. He played very well for the Crusaders. This led to him being selected for the All Blacks again. He scored two tries against Wales and two more against Australia.
He became the All Blacks' main right wing and was the joint highest try scorer in the 2016 Rugby Championship. Dagg finished 2016 as the top try-scorer for the All Blacks, with 10 tries in 12 games.
2017: More Injuries
Dagg continued to play well in 2017, even after knee surgery. He played for the All Blacks against the British and Irish Lions. He also scored a try against Samoa. Sadly, he sustained a season-ending injury later in the year.
2018: Short Stint in Japan
In 2018, Israel Dagg played only a few games for the Crusaders. He then signed a short contract to play for Canon Eagles in Japan. However, his knee problems forced him to stop playing in Japan early.
2019: Retirement from Rugby
In April 2019, Israel Dagg announced he was retiring from rugby. This decision was made because of a long-term knee injury. Doctors advised him to stop playing for his health.
Television Appearances
Israel Dagg has also appeared on television. He was in the New Zealand TV series Clubhouse Rescue in 2023. He also appeared in a fun safety advertisement for Air New Zealand in 2015. This ad was themed like the movie Men in Black.
Personal Life
Israel Dagg is married to Daisy. They got married in 2015. They have two children: a son named Arlo, born in 2017, and a daughter named Tilly, born in 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Israel Dagg para niños
