Exeter Chiefs lock Jack Dunne has opened up about his courageous decision to come out, revealing that facing his family “was probably tougher” than telling his rugby teammates.
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“Probably Tougher Coming Out to My Friends and Family”
In a heartfelt interview with BBC Sport, the 25-year-old reflected on the challenges he faced. “It was probably tougher coming out to my friends and family back in the day,” Dunne admitted.
Despite having been comfortable with his identity for around five years before coming out publicly, he revealed that telling his loved ones was the hardest part. “The personal one was probably bigger than the professional one,” he said.
Inspiring Confidence in Others
Dunne’s story isn’t just personal—he hopes it will resonate with others in the rugby community. “It would be good for other gay or bisexual men to see people like me and hopefully it’ll give them a bit of confidence to be able to be who they are,” he said, showing his passion for making a difference.
A Nod to Jake Daniels
The towering lock also expressed admiration for fellow athlete Jake Daniels, who made headlines in May 2022 by publicly coming out as gay. Daniels became the only openly gay male professional footballer in Britain, and Dunne applauded his bravery in the face of such a landmark moment for sport.
From Leinster to Exeter
Born in London but raised in Ireland, Dunne joined Exeter Chiefs ahead of the 2022/23 season from the United Rugby Championship’s Leinster. As a Chief, he’s made 40 appearances and scored a memorable try against Munster in a thrilling Investec Champions Cup clash at Sandy Park.
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A Future with England?
Though he’s sidelined with injury at the moment, the versatile forward is still very much in the mix for a potential England call-up, thanks to his London birth. Dunne, who won 10 caps with Ireland’s Under-20 side, is eligible for Steve Borthwick’s squad as he works his way back to full fitness.
New Deal and Gratitude
Dunne signed a new contract with Exeter at the end of last season, and he couldn’t be more excited about the future. “I’m excited to be continuing with this team for next season,” he said. The lock also took a moment to express his thanks to the Chiefs fans: “A huge thank you to the Chiefs supporters who have made Sandy Park such a special place for me these last two years.”
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5 and out proud rugby players:
While World Rugby is taking a firm stance on inclusion and diversity, there are many personalities who have been paving the way for this inspiring movement.
1. Nigel Owens
All fans, players, and anyone who knows anything about rugby will know the name, Nigel Owens. Besides having the record for most test matches refereed, Owens has earned a reputation as one of the top rugby referees around the world.
The Welshman is also a TV personality and a devoted activist for the LGBT cause, winning “Gay Sports Personality of the Decade” at the Stonewall awards ceremony in London back in 2015.
2. Gareth Thomas
The Wales legend is one of the greatest rugby players in the history of the UK, captaining the Welsh international side as well as the British and Irish Lions during his career.
Thomas publicly came out in 2009 and has since described his experience as a secretly gay player, revealing how the social pressure and stereotypes pose a significant challenge for many athletes today.
3. Craig Maxwell-Keys
Maxwell-Keys, who took charge of the 2020 Gallagher Premiership final, eventually decided the time was right to reveal his sexuality to colleagues at Twickenham as well as his local club, Lichfield RFC in 2019.
Now based in Cheltenham, he aims to continue moving up the referees’ pecking order – and his experiences since coming out have indicated that sexuality will be no barrier to that.
4. Sam Stanley
England Sevens international Sam Stanley became the first English professional rugby union player to publicly come out as gay in August 2015.
Now 26, the former Saracens back played in five Sevens World Series tournaments for England and belongs to one of the sport’s most famous families.
5. Mark Bingham
Not a professional but deserves a special mention. Mark, a gay rugby fan and sportsman, was a passenger on Flight 93 on September 11th, 2001.
Bingham is widely credited with helping prevent further deaths when he helped lead a passenger revolt against hijackers who had seized control of the plane and begun to direct it towards a target in Washington DC.
Rushing the cockpit and risking their own lives, the passengers successfully overthrew the hijackers and managed to bring down the plane in a field.
