Irish rugby star comes out as gay after fearing he would have to quit game

Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy has publicly come out as gay, revealing that he thought he would have to quit rugby before deciding to tell his coaches and colleagues instead.

McCarthy informed Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster last November, and his team-mates in January.

The province's head coach Cullen and skipper Johnny Sexton have praised McCarthy for his decision to speak publicly for the first time about his sexuality.

McCarthy, 27, rejoined Leinster from Munster last summer after two years with the Reds.

“I came out to my teammates in January and I was obviously pretty nervous about doing so,” McCarthy told Leinster's website.

“But I’m really happy that I did it. I struggled with coming out for a while and it was starting to impact on me and my happiness so it was the right decision.

“It affected me so much that I agonised over my future and contemplated walking away from rugby altogether because I just didn’t think I could come out while playing rugby.

“But, I spoke to Leo and Stuart last November and the support that I got from them straight away was unbelievable.

"They helped and guided me over the months that followed so that I felt more comfortable to come out to the group.

“It’s not really ‘a thing’, it’s not common for a male athlete to come out in sport, never mind professional rugby, and it’s probably something that I didn’t want to believe or accept myself either.

“I needed to accept being gay myself before I could address it with others. I have great friends in rugby but I didn’t know how they would take it.

“My experience since coming out though has been entirely positive. I have realised that anyone who cares about you, just wants you to be happy.

"I’m lucky to have grown up in a loving environment.