All Blacks star Beauden Barrett has encouraged other Kiwi sportspeople to speak out and show their support for the Muslim community, after last week's Christchurch mosque shootings.
Hurricanes team-mate TJ Perenara has been vocal and visible with his feelings since the tragedy, imploring the public to back local Muslims ina heartfelt Instagram post.
Now Barrett has backed him up.
"We all support TJ and what he's saying 100 per cent, so just because we don't speak out doesn't mean we're not feeling those ways," he told media in Wellington today.
"But what's evident is that it's important to speak out and for those people in the Muslim community, to let them know this is their home, and we're 100 per cent supportive of them and their families.
"They're just a part of us, essentially, and [we must do] whatever we can do to help and ensure that they're happy here living in New Zealand."
Barrett said sport can help guide the country through these difficult times.
"Not only from an entertainment point of view," he said. "I think it's important to continue entertaining people, but also be positive and portray positive messages, and just be vulnerable - I think that's the key message.
