Craig Doyle and Austin Healey brave the blood donation needle

Why don't more men give blood? Is it the fear of needles?

The BT Sport team are discussing how to boost male blood donation. As Craig Doyle confidently passes the blood donation baton, watch Ben Kay's hilarious impression of ex-England scrum half, Austin Healey giving blood:

Recent research (1) has found that men are almost as scared of giving blood (21%) as they are of sustaining an injury while playing their chosen sport (29%).

Giving blood: "It's just a scratch!"

Rugby stars Lawrence Dallaglio, Ben Kay, Ugo Monye and Austin Healey, alongside BT Sport presenters Craig Doyle, Sarra Elgan and Martin Bayfield, are enjoying a brainstorming session about why more men don't give blood. More men are currently needed as blood donors and the film aims to challenge typical misconceptions about both pain and tattoos.

The film features Austin Healey and Ben Kay, discussing blood donation and even donating themselves as Brian leads a brainstorming session on how to get more men to register to give blood.

The famously competitive ex-England scrum-half, Austin Healey, is given a hard time by the group, including Ben Kay who impersonates him complaining about giving blood.

“It’s just a scratch” counters Brian, “it only takes a few minutes.”

“There you go, another life saved” says Craig Doyle, after finishing his donation. “Aus, you’re up next, they need to do the weakest first.”

You CAN donate after a tattoo

Among the jokes and ribbing, the group discuss the various reasons people give for not donating blood, such as having a tattoo. Brian reminds the stars that you can still give blood after a having a tattoo:  “Of course you can,” he says, displaying his own tattoo, “Four months after your last inking."

You can get involved and save a life by registering to give blood.

Notes

1. Omnibus research with 2,013 nationally representative UK adults conducted by Opinium, November 2019.