There's not been a “Spartacus moment” since he came out as gay but Keegan Hirst believes rugby league has made giant strides.
The ex-Wakefield prop, 34, is gearing up to kick-off the Betfred Championship season with Batley at London Broncos on Sunday. Hirst, the first British rugby league player to openly come out as gay in 2015, kept a promise to reverse his retirement decision “to help with vision and inclusivity.” That came when seven Manly Sea Eagles players refused to wear a jersey emblazoned with a LGBTQ pride-themed rainbow during an NRL match last July.
Hirst, who initially packed in the sport in 2020, rejoined Batley last term but couldn’t play due to an RFL registration issue. He got back in action in their pre-season friendlies, though, and - Manly controversy aside - feels the sport is generally now far more inclusive compared to when he started out. Still, is Hirst surprised no other rugby league player has come out in the eight years since he went public?
