Nehe Milner-Skudder is one of the faces promoting mental fitness within rugby.

All Nehe Milner-Skudder wanted to be when he grew up was Christian Cullen.

As a young child he had a Hurricanes teddy bear which he wrote his idol's name on, and slept with every night.

"I wasn't allowed to take him to school, but I tried," Milner-Skudder says with a chuckle.

Now the 27-year-old is a Hurricanes player and an All Black, just like Cullen.

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Which is why it hits him hard when he gets injured - all he has ever dreamed about is hanging in the balance.

Milner-Skudder is one of the ambassadors for the NZR programme Headfirst. As part of it, the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises are having Bubble Round - a week when there is a focus on mental fitness and mental health.

The teams will be promoting bursting the stigma bubbles surrounding mental health in various ways, including with videos from different players talking about it, and what they do when they are on struggle street.

"There are a lot of ups and downs in rugby. There is a lot of pressure on us to perform at a high level, and when you get injured it can be tough," Milner-Skudder said.

Milner-Skudder wants people to understand that although the ebbs and flows are part of the job, it is important to talk about it.

"We have this alpha-male macho persona which we put up in rugby. It can end up being a bit of a hindrance when you can't deal with how you are feeling.

"We are taught to push through little niggles, but when it comes to your feelings, if you don't develop a sense of vulnerability and being aware of your feelings it can hurt you."

If Milner-Skudder is having a bad day, he surrounds himself with supportive people, including his partner - who makes him speak about how he has been feeling.

"She has definitely been the backbone in this."

He also takes his dogs for a walk down to the beach, to let off a bit of steam.

"We needed someone authentic, Nehe is that," NZR education and well-being manager Nathan Price explained as to why Milner-Skudder was chosen.

It had to be someone who lived the values and would resonate with youth. It's an added bonus that he might have cut-through with Maori and Pacific Islanders too.

Price is one of the main people involved in getting this programme over the line. He is really excited about it, and when talking about it, his face lights up.

"Like it or not, rugby players are role models.

"I think we have a responsibility to do social good. We have a lot of influence, and to be able to contribute to this conversation is something I am really proud of."

"Hopefully, we can get this conversation humming."

It's Price's goal to develop a strong mental health culture at NZR, and have all of the rugby family practising mental fitness.

"That's not just for the 800 players we have on contract, that's the 100,000 plus people that play rugby throughout New Zealand. And then hopefully it has a trickle-down effect into their families and their communities.

"We have an opportunity to do something good."

Being educated about mental health and fitness was one of the most important things you can do to get through it.

Rugby players have three triggers which can challenge their mental health: injury, retirement, and when they aren't meeting their own, or others, performance objectives.

Knowing what is going on is why we have bought mental health into our grassroots training programmes, Price explained.

And also why they are starting to involve partners and families - to give a better understanding of the environment.

"We are never going to be perfect, but we have to do something.

"At one point there will be a high profile person in this sphere that commits suicide, I don't want to sit back and have done nothing. I want us to have made the world better."

WHERE TO GET HELP

Lifeline (open 24/7) - 0800 543 354

Depression Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 111 757

Healthline (open 24/7) - 0800 611 116

Samaritans (open 24/7) - 0800 726 666

Suicide Crisis Helpline (open 24/7) - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.

Youthline (open 24/7) - 0800 376 633. You can also text 234 for free between 8am and midnight, or email talk@youthline.co.nz

0800 WHATSUP children's helpline - phone 0800 9428 787 between 1pm and 10pm on weekdays and from 3pm to 10pm on weekends. Online chat is available from 7pm to 10pm every day at www.whatsup.co.nz.

Kidsline (open 24/7) - 0800 543 754. This service is for children aged 5 to 18. Those who ring between 4pm and 9pm on weekdays will speak to a Kidsline buddy. These are specially trained teenage telephone counsellors.

Your local Rural Support Trust - 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP)

Alcohol Drug Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 787 797. You can also text 8691 for free.

For further information, contact the Mental Health Foundation's free Resource and Information Service (09 623 4812).