Welsh Rugby Captain Jed Hooper Comes Out

The captain of the Welsh rugby team, the Old Redcliffians, came out as gay after a potential suitor he met said he couldn't date someone who was closeted.

Jed Hooper, 22, told theEvening Postthat the encounter was the catalyst for his big announcement.

"Before that, I think I had already told about ten friends and their reaction was very positive so that gave me an inkling of what might happen," he said. "And I also thought if the crap really hits the fan then at least there are ten people on my side!"

Hooper texted his contacts and also made the announcement on his Facebook page. After, he said, "I then cried my eyes out as I was thinking to myself 'What have you done?,' but very quickly I must have had 40 replies and all of them were positive."

Hooper, who plays the position of back row forward, then consulted the team's chairman, Ray Massey.

"I said that if the club doesn't want a gay man as its figurehead I would understand and step down," Hooper said. "But he was brilliant and said 'you're our captain and this doesn't change anything'. That support was massive to me."

The news comes after another star of Welsh rugby, Gareth Thomas announced his retirement this week. Thomas, 37, said he could no longer commit all of his time to the sport, but a film is still in the works, shepherded by American actor Mickey Rourke.