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.