Footy star opens up about the health battle that made him fear he was having a heart attack – despite being super-fit and in his 20s

All Blacks star Anton Lienert-Brown has revealed his battle with anxiety was so intense he often believed he was having a heart attack despite being one of the fittest men on the planet.

His ongoing health battle came as he stamped himself as one of the best rugby players in the world while he starred at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.

Lienert-Brown’s anxiety led to daily panic attacks and depression.

‘It made living every day tough,’ the 79-Test All Black told Stuff.

‘Over the years my anxiety got worse and worse to the stage where daily I was having constant panic attacks and it got really difficult.

‘It would spiral and spiral and spiral to the point where I would have a panic attack… it felt like I was having a heart attack, but I wasn’t.’

The inside centre now sees a psychiatrist, who prescribed anti-anxiety medication that Lienert-Brown continues to take.

He has bravely broken his silence in a bid to help others who are struggling with their own mental health.

Lienert Brown (pictured with partner Liv Robertson) has bravely broken his silence in a bid to help others struggling with their own mental health

The inside centre made his Test debut in 2016 – and will play Test number 80 on October 26 versus Japan

‘It took me a long time to seek help. I should have got it a lot earlier,’ he said.

‘I’m like a lot of other [Kiwi] men out there. You struggle to talk about your feelings.

‘I battled for years … until I was probably just hanging on by a thread.’

Lienert-Brown has used ice baths, saunas and meditation to keep his anxiety under control – and is now a proud ambassador for Mind Set Engage, a New Zealand Rugby mental well-being initiative.

He added hearing other people open up about their struggles – and the coping tools they used – has been enormously beneficial. 

The 29-year-old will be New Zealand’s vice-captain when they take on Eddie Jones’ Japan in Yokohama on October 26.

Japan have never beaten the All Blacks in a Test – but the Brave Blossoms won plenty of admirers after New Zealand won 38-31 in a clash staged in Tokyo two years ago.