The Gay Rugby Podcast

Jack Higgins
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Rugby
  • Weekly

Your go-to source for the international LGBTQ+ rugby community. Hosted by Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna of Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby, this podcast explores the world of inclusive sports, rugby news, and the stories behind players making waves in the sport. Born from the success of the Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby team's social media, The Gay Rugby Podcast celebrates the intersection of rugby and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. From The Bingham Cup to international gay rugby events, Jack and Ozzie share insights, interviews, and updates from the global rugby scene.

  1. Nov 5

    Irish Rugby's Tadhg Furlong Cited for Alleged Groin Grab | What Happens Next? | Ep 66

    Irish rugby star Tadhg Furlong was cited for allegedly grabbing Munster player Gavin Coombes in the groin during a United Rugby Championship match between Leinster and Munster. But what happens when a serious allegation is made on the rugby pitch and the cameras can't confirm what happened?In Episode 66 of The Gay Rugby Podcast, Jack and Ozzie break down the Tadhg Furlong controversy and discuss the uncomfortable questions it raises about consent, player safety, sexual assault, and accountability in professional rugby.UPDATE: This episode was recorded before Tadhg Furlong's disciplinary hearing. On October 29, 2026, an independent URC disciplinary committee unanimously dismissed the citing complaint, clearing Furlong of foul play under World Rugby Law 9.27. However, the committee also concluded that Gavin Coombes had given an honest account of his recollection of the incident.That raises an important question: What happens when two players have different accounts of an incident, and there's no conclusive video evidence?Should we believe someone who comes forward with an allegation? How do we balance supporting players who report inappropriate contact with the presumption of innocence? And when does physical contact in rugby cross the line from dirty play into sexual assault?As gay rugby players, we've experienced firsthand how physical the sport can be. From scrums and tackles to locker room culture and the blurred boundaries of physical contact, we're discussing what is acceptable, what isn't, and why consent matters even in a full-contact sport.We also discuss rugby's history of questionable tactics, the pressure athletes face to tolerate uncomfortable behavior, and how LGBTQ+ athletes can experience physical boundaries differently.We want to hear from you: Did the disciplinary committee make the right decision? How should rugby handle serious allegations when the footage is inconclusive? Let us know in the comments.The Gay Rugby Podcast is a comedy and culture podcast about gay rugby, LGBTQ+ sports, queer culture, community, travel, and the people making rugby a more inclusive place.Filmed, edited and produced by Jack HigginsExecutive Producer Ozzie Luna

    Irish Rugby's Tadhg Furlong Cited for Alleged Groin Grab | What Happens Next? | Ep 66

  2. Oct 26

    Caught Hooking Up By His Mom | Halloween Special | Ep 65

    Getting caught hooking up is bad enough. Getting caught by a closeted guy's entire family while hiding in his closet? That's a whole different kind of horror story.It's Halloween on the Gay Rugby Podcast, and Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna are swapping their most embarrassing gay hookup stories, debating which classic horror movie monsters they'd smash or pass, and digging into some genuinely bizarre rugby ghost stories.From a Welsh rugby player waking up to a mysterious figure standing over his bed during the 2015 Rugby World Cup to an English rugby club that reportedly needed an exorcist, it turns out the rugby world has a few skeletons in its closet, too.Hosted by Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna of the LA Rebellion, the Gay Rugby Podcast explores gay culture, dating, sex, LGBTQ+ sports, and the wonderfully ridiculous world of inclusive rugby.

    Caught Hooking Up By His Mom | Halloween Special | Ep 65

  3. Oct 19

    Why Is Gay Rugby SO Popular in the UK? (And Where Is Gay Rugby League?) | Ep 64

    Why is gay rugby so popular in the UK? And if rugby union has built a thriving LGBTQ+ community, why are there no grassroots gay rugby league clubs?We sat down with Johnathan Alexander Zemlik at the Bingham Cup 2026 in Brisbane. A Kings Cross Steelers player who also plays rugby union and rugby league for multiple clubs, Johnathan brings a unique perspective to the question of why gay rugby has exploded in popularity across the UK - while gay rugby league clubs remain conspicuously absent.Jonathan reckons there are around 32 gay rugby teams in the UK. So what's behind the growth? It's about more than rugby. It's about finding your people, building friendships outside the usual gay nightlife scene, getting competitive, and having a place where you can show up as yourself.We also break down the differences between rugby union and rugby league, from 15 players versus 13 to scrums, lineouts and the six-tackle rule. Jonathan explains how rugby league's working-class roots shaped its history, why he thinks the sport has an inclusion problem, and what it could learn from the gay rugby community.Plus, we get into homophobia on the pitch, the Kings Cross Steelers' culture, a Guinness World Record rugby match that raised £125,000 for charity, and the fight to make rugby league more welcoming to LGBTQ+ players. Jonathan also shares his hopes for an inclusive rugby league team at Keighley Cougars.Could the next chapter of gay rugby be in rugby league?Subscribe to the Gay Rugby Podcast for more stories from the global LGBTQ+ rugby community, inclusive sport, and the people changing the game from the inside.

    Why Is Gay Rugby SO Popular in the UK? (And Where Is Gay Rugby League?) | Ep 64

  4. Oct 6

    A Gay Rugby Team Was Asked to Leave a Lesbian Bar | Ottawa Wolves Women's Rugby | Ep 63

    A gay rugby team was asked to leave a lesbian bar and we asked the lesbian rugby coach what they thought about it.In this episode of the Gay Rugby Podcast, Jack and Ozzie are in Brisbane, Australia, covering the 2026 Bingham Cup and Amanda Mark Cup, where we sit down with Emily Lynn Létourneau, president of the Ottawa Wolves, an LGBTQ+ rugby club from Ottawa, Canada.Emily takes us through her journey into rugby, from growing up in a small town in northern Quebec where rugby barely existed to becoming a player, coach, and leader within one of Canada’s LGBTQ+ rugby clubs. We talk about the growth of women’s rugby at the Bingham Cup, the rise of the Amanda Mark Cup, and why creating dedicated space for women and lesbians in queer rugby matters.But things get especially interesting when we talk about a viral moment involving a gay rugby team and a lesbian bar. Emily gives her perspective on whether gay men belong in lesbian spaces, why those spaces were created in the first place, and where the line should be when it comes to respecting queer spaces.Along the way, we get into the stereotypes surrounding lesbian rugby players, what gay men could learn from lesbians, dating within your rugby club, and what the future could look like for women’s LGBTQ+ rugby.Recorded in Brisbane during the 2026 Bingham Cup.The Gay Rugby Podcast is a comedy and culture podcast about gay rugby, LGBTQ+ sports, queer culture, community, travel, and the people making rugby a more inclusive place.Filmed, edited and produced by Jack HigginsExecutive Producer Ozzie Luna

    A Gay Rugby Team Was Asked to Leave a Lesbian Bar | Ottawa Wolves Women's Rugby | Ep 63

  5. Sep 28

    Why Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ Rugby Club Struggles to Recruit Japanese Players | Ep 62

    Why Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ Rugby Club Struggles to Recruit Japanese Players We sat down with Daniel, founder of the Tsurumi Brats, during the 2026 Bingham Cup in Brisbane, Australia, to talk about the unique challenges of building an LGBTQ+ rugby community in Japan. Tsurumi Brats are a Tokyo-based inclusive rugby club, and Daniel explains why Japanese and foreign rugby communities have often remained separate, the challenges of recruiting Japanese players, and how language and cultural differences can make it difficult to bring the two communities together. Despite having a large international player base, Tsurumi Brats are working to create more connections between Japanese and foreign players and build a rugby community where everyone can play together. We talk about gay rugby in Japan, LGBTQ+ rugby, Tokyo rugby, Japanese rugby culture, recruiting Japanese players, foreign rugby players in Japan, and the challenges of building an inclusive rugby club. Filmed during the Bingham Cup Brisbane 2026, the world's largest international celebration of inclusive rugby, where teams from around the world came together to compete and connect. Tsurumi Brats represented Tokyo and Japan on the international stage.

    Why Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ Rugby Club Struggles to Recruit Japanese Players | Ep 62

  6. Sep 21

    Why Are Straight Men Choosing Gay Rugby? | Sydney Convicts | Ep 61

    What happens when straight men join a gay rugby team?We sat down in Brisbane with James Morey, president and captain of the Sydney Convicts, to talk about why straight men are choosing gay rugby, what makes an LGBTQ+ rugby team different, and why the Convicts have become one of the biggest names in inclusive rugby.James has been playing rugby since he was eight and joined the Sydney Convicts in 2016. Nearly a decade later, he's leading the club both on and off the field and he's got a pretty good perspective on what makes a gay rugby club work.We get into what it was like joining the Convicts after playing traditional rugby, the freedom of being able to be yourself on the pitch, and why gay rugby teams aren't just for gay players. James explains why having straight players and allies is important to the club, and why some straight men simply don't connect with the macho culture that can surround traditional rugby.We also go deep on the history of the Sydney Convicts, Australia's first gay and inclusive rugby union club, the growth of gay rugby in Australia, the Bingham Cup, and how the global LGBTQ rugby community has grown into something much bigger than any one team.Plus: the biggest misconception about gay rugby, the Convicts' infamous reputation for playing hard and partying hard, their pathway program for people who've never played rugby before, their five Bingham Cup titles, and what it's like trying to manage more than 100 players at the world's biggest inclusive LGBTQ+ rugby tournament.This episode was filmed in Brisbane during Bingham Cup 2026.If you've ever wondered what gay rugby is actually like, how gay rugby clubs work, whether straight men can play LGBTQ rugby, or why someone would choose an inclusive rugby team over a traditional club, this conversation is for you.

    Why Are Straight Men Choosing Gay Rugby? | Sydney Convicts | Ep 61

  7. Sep 14

    This Indigenous Gay Rugby Team Is Making History in Australia | Ep 60

    The Lorikeets are Australia's indigenous gay rugby teamWe came to Brisbane for the Bingham Cup 2026 and ended up sitting down with Darren from the First Nations Lorikeets: a brand-new rugby club creating something that didn’t exist before in Australian gay rugby.The Lorikeets are an LGBTQ+ rugby team for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, built around culture, community, visibility and creating a space where players can actually feel like they belong.And Darren has a pretty powerful reason for being part of it.Years ago, he was asked to play for the Sydney Convicts but said no because he didn’t feel safe in that space. Now, 14 years later, he’s playing rugby with the Lorikeets at the Bingham Cup in Brisbane.We talk about why First Nations rugby matters, what it means to create a culturally safe space for LGBTQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, and why representation in gay rugby clubs has to be more than simply saying “everyone is welcome.”We also get into the Lorikeets’ first year, how the team came together from players across Australia, their connection to community, their plans for the future, and what they hope this team can mean to the next generation of queer First Nations players.Recorded in Brisbane during the Bingham Cup 2026.If you’re into gay rugby, LGBTQ+ sports, inclusive rugby, First Nations rugby, or just want to understand more about the people and stories behind the Bingham Cup, this one is worth watching.Subscribe for more conversations about gay rugby, LGBTQ+ sports, rugby culture and the people who make this community what it is.Filmed, edited and produced by Jack HigginsExecutive Producer Ozzie LunaViews and opinions in the podcast do not reflect the views and opinions of the Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby Club

    This Indigenous Gay Rugby Team Is Making History in Australia | Ep 60

  8. Sep 8

    Is Rugby Worth the Injuries? | Chris Grace on why Super Store Didn't Stop Him Playing | Ep 60

    We sat down with comedian and actor Chris Grace to talk about something that, on the surface, seems pretty simple: is rugby actually worth getting hurt for?Chris has broken both of his ring fingers, dislocated a rib, broken his arm and developed arthritis in his knees from playing tighthead prop. And yet, when we asked if he regrets it, his answer was pretty definitive: no.That led us into a much bigger conversation about why people keep coming back to rugby even when it hurts. Chris talks about the nerves and adrenaline before a match, the strange emotional attachment that comes with playing on a team, and why gay rugby became such a transformative part of his life.We also got into his acting career, including his time on Superstore, and whether he ever worried that playing rugby could interfere with his work as an actor. Spoiler: he wasn't particularly worried about getting injured until he actually got injured.Chris has also experienced one of the biggest moments in LGBTQ+ rugby firsthand: winning the Bingham Cup. He talks about what that victory meant to him, why he broke down crying after losing the following year, and how rare it is to feel that emotionally connected to something in everyday life.Along the way, we talk about gay rugby, playing against straight teams, rugby culture, competition, community, and why the sport has become so much more than just what happens on the pitch.This is Episode 60 of the Gay Rugby Podcast.Subscribe for more conversations about gay rugby, LGBTQ+ sports, rugby culture and the people who make this community what it is.

    Is Rugby Worth the Injuries? | Chris Grace on why Super Store Didn't Stop Him Playing | Ep 60
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About

Your go-to source for the international LGBTQ+ rugby community. Hosted by Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna of Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby, this podcast explores the world of inclusive sports, rugby news, and the stories behind players making waves in the sport. Born from the success of the Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby team's social media, The Gay Rugby Podcast celebrates the intersection of rugby and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. From The Bingham Cup to international gay rugby events, Jack and Ozzie share insights, interviews, and updates from the global rugby scene.

Information

  • Creator
    Jack Higgins
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jack Higgins
  • Show Website
    The Gay Rugby Podcast

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