Sam Stanley professional rugby union player comes out gay

England Rugby Sevens star Sam Stanley has come out as gay – the first English professional rugby union player to do so.

Stanley, who has represented England five times internationally, has spoken of his anguish at hiding his sexuality.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Stanley said: ‘I was 10 or 11 when I realised I was different to my friends.
‘I didn’t want to accept it, I felt that being different wasn’t right. I had a girlfriend and I was thinking that, like some people say, maybe it is just a phase.’
Stanley has also revealed he attempted suicide after fearing his sexuality would end his rugby career.
He told the Sunday Times: ‘I was standing on a bridge about four or five years ago, overlooking a motorway in Essex… However, looking back, the idea that I would jump was ridiculous but it was as if I was thinking that I could get rid of the pain in one go.
‘You are so worried about what people will think and I thought I couldn’t be a macho rugby player the way I was, and there was nothing else I wanted to do with my life.’
Saracens, where Stanley was a player between 2010 and 2014, have shown support to their old teammate, tweeting: ‘So #proud of @Stanley_13. Always a member of the #SarriesFamily.’
Sam’s brother Michael Stanley, who plays for Samoa, has also spoken of his pride for his brother, tweeting: ‘So proud of my little brother, not easy in this days society! Love you uce, be proud of who you are #FtheHaters @Stanley_13’
Stanley has come out less than a month after rugby league player Keegan Hirst, who had also struggled with being gay but has since received a lot of support.

The first rugby union player to come out as gay was former Wales captain Gareth Thomas, who came out in 2009.