Stuart MacDonald - Sunday Times Scotland - 28th February 2010
A gay team
will compete in an official rugby league in Scotland for the
first time after the decision by Gareth Thomas, the former Wales and
Lions player, to out himself led to a rise in homosexuals taking up the
game.The Caledonian Thebans will play their first competitive match after attracting enough new members to field a full XV.
Until now the side had been able to attract only 10 players and had been limited to playing in unregistered friendlies.
After their inclusion, from next season, in the Scottish Rugby Union’s East Region league, officials have launched a membership drive, with posters in pubs in Edinburgh and Glasgow. They are also discussing a possible bid to bring the Gay Rugby World Cup to Scotland.
“We have had a surge in new members, which is great,” said Steven Forrest, the club’s spokesman and tight head prop. “The Gareth Thomas announcement gives us a credibility that we didn’t have before, in the sense that we play rugby first and we’re gay second.
“We have had problems with people not taking us seriously and hopefully this will eradicate that. The reaction to Gareth coming out has been encouraging.
“Last year we played gay teams from other parts of the UK and Europe, but we have the same problem that other amateur clubs have in terms of organising games and getting referees.
“It has been difficult to get in a league before because they all play in XVs. We can now look at going into a league and that would make it easier to recruit and retain people because, if you’re playing in a league, there’s more incentive to turn up.”
Carl Thomas, 34, a data analyst from Edinburgh and one of the club’s newest members, said Thomas’ stance gave them more confidence to play against straight players.
“There is a certain stigma attached to sports like rugby, in terms of how macho they should be, but this just shows there are gay people everywhere and we are not a stereotype,” he said. “It’s good that people are taking a stand and being proud of themselves.
“I probably wouldn’t have wanted to join or play against straight rugby players a few months ago, but that has all changed now.”
The club was formed in May 2002, when its founder Colm Cunningham put up a poster in a gay bar in Edinburgh. It is Scotland’s first and, as yet, only gay-oriented rugby club, but membership is not restricted to homosexuals.
The name is derived from the Sacred Band of Thebes, a group of ancient Greek gay warriors who pledged to lay down their lives for each other and their home city of Thebes.
Thomas, the former Wales rugby captain, became the first British rugby player to come out as a gay man in an interview in December. The 35-year-old Cardiff Blues player said he had been “hiding” the secret for years and it had led to the breakdown of his marriage.
Last night, Thomas said he was delighted that more gay men were taking up the game.
“It’s fantastic that the Caledonian Thebans have had an increase in their numbers,” he said. “To hear that more people are taking up rugby because of my story, confirms that I did the right thing.”
“I hope that this is a sign of things to come and that more people will join teams regardless of their background or lifestyle.”
Other clubs in the league said they would welcome the prospect of playing the Thebans.
“There is always a bit of banter and inappropriate jokes in rugby, but I think people would be more careful about what they said when playing a gay team,” said Neil Fox, the secretary of the Royal Dick Veterinary College RFC.
Colin Thomson, Scottish Rugby’s head of community rugby, said: “The Thebans have worked incredibly hard to underline the accessibility and camaraderie of the sport.”
See also:
Gay friendly
Uganda gay purge puts football coach on spot
Scottish Rugby Union
Caledonian Thebans
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