I'm always amused by questions like "why don't more players come out", considering the level of abuse some players have received from the South Stand (and probably a number of posters on here) for having the temerity to simply be very good at what they do but have some small flaw in their character.

Bobbie Goulding springs to mind as a good case in point IMO. Goulding used to receive some foul abuse from Leeds fans - can you imagine what he would have been on the receiving end of if he'd been openly homosexual?

Sometimes fans like to take the "family" image of the game at face value rather than listening to what is going on around them.

methinks that could have been phrased better........

Surprised that Homer Phobe and Chris Chan have not visited this thread

I found the headline quite uninteresting. I don't actually care whether he's gay or not. It doesn't overly shock me that he is. Perhaps lots of other people do care, and then this might be a big deal.

As for young gay people having a role model, I can't say I've ever been a big fan of Gareth Thomas, him being a bit of a dirty cheating get. Just my opinion though.

He likes c[ioc[/ik.

Big deal.

That's a bit of an assumption.












He might be a giver.

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Well he's a very selfish lover if there's no reach around provided to his partner.

Actually that's true. In fact [size=50(this one's for Sporano)[/size there really ought to also be a reverse reacharound from the taker in order to finger the giver.

You guys make me laugh!

Could have dressed it up to be mysterious.

Im not gay but have slept with someone who is!

How is he the "first rugby player to declare he is gay" as stated on the BBC news ???

IIRC wasnt there a winger at Hull FC who came out must be more than 10 years ago.

and wasnt there a Aussie test forward as well a while back.

Ian Roberts, but in the land of make believe that is the BBC he doesn't count as he doesn't play Rugby Union

I always thought it would be polite to take it in turns

The Hull winger you're thinking of might be Paul Eastwood. There were plenty of rumours at the time but I don't know if he ever clarified what his preferences were.

...and before Eastwood I think Tim Wilby came out.