Tonight's rugby news as 'room erupts' when Leinster rugby star comes out as gay in announcement

Here are the latest rugby evening headlines on Monday, June 20.

Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy has revealed his team-mates "erupted" when he came out and told them he was gay.

The 27-year-old half-back revealed his sexuality publicly on Monday, having told his team-mates in January after confiding in Leinster coaches Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster last November.

While many female rugby players are openly gay, McCarthy is thought to be one of the first - if not the first - male player to come out as gay while still playing professional rugby.

The scrum-half, who rejoined Leinster from Munster last summer after two years with the Reds, said: "I came out to my teammates in January and I was obviously pretty nervous about doing so, 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."

He said of his address to the full squad ahead of a scheduled team meeting on a Monday morning back in January: "I only made a quick announcement. But I just remember the room erupting! They were all delighted for me and it was immediately a weight off my shoulders. I felt they understood my situation. It’s hard to perform at your best when you are carrying something, anything, and that’s the same for all the lads. For me it was my sexuality, for others it could be stuff at home, or studies or whatever.

"I spoke to Leo (Cullen) and Stuart (Lancaster) 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."

McCarthy also spoke about considering walking away from rugby instead of coming out, saying: