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Gareth Thomas has just published his autobiography.

So he’s been giving quite a few interviews. He was, of course, the first high-profile rugby player to come out as gay. I truly admire his courage and his candour. But I cannot understand why anyone is surprised that a rugby player might be gay. When I was a DJ, I played many a rugby club party and on every occasion, the place would be throbbing with latent homosexuality. You didn’t get this at football, golf or cricket clubs – only at rugby clubs. As I watched “the lads” dropping their trousers, sticking their private parts into their pints of real ale I wanted to say “You’re gay. That’s fine. No need to hide it in a closet of manly rituals.” Yes, they loved their Quo and their Springsteen but at every rugby club party, this was always the favourite.

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