Why is gay rugby so popular in the UK? And if rugby union has built a thriving LGBTQ+ community, why are there no grassroots gay rugby league clubs?We sat down with Johnathan Alexander Zemlik at the Bingham Cup 2026 in Brisbane. A Kings Cross Steelers player who also plays rugby union and rugby league for multiple clubs, Johnathan brings a unique perspective to the question of why gay rugby has exploded in popularity across the UK - while gay rugby league clubs remain conspicuously absent.Jonathan reckons there are around 32 gay rugby teams in the UK. So what's behind the growth? It's about more than rugby. It's about finding your people, building friendships outside the usual gay nightlife scene, getting competitive, and having a place where you can show up as yourself.We also break down the differences between rugby union and rugby league, from 15 players versus 13 to scrums, lineouts and the six-tackle rule. Jonathan explains how rugby league's working-class roots shaped its history, why he thinks the sport has an inclusion problem, and what it could learn from the gay rugby community.Plus, we get into homophobia on the pitch, the Kings Cross Steelers' culture, a Guinness World Record rugby match that raised £125,000 for charity, and the fight to make rugby league more welcoming to LGBTQ+ players. Jonathan also shares his hopes for an inclusive rugby league team at Keighley Cougars.Could the next chapter of gay rugby be in rugby league?Subscribe to the Gay Rugby Podcast for more stories from the global LGBTQ+ rugby community, inclusive sport, and the people changing the game from the inside.

A gay rugby team was asked to leave a lesbian bar and we asked the lesbian rugby coach what they thought about it.In this episode of the Gay Rugby Podcast, Jack and Ozzie are in Brisbane, Australia, covering the 2026 Bingham Cup and Amanda Mark Cup, where we sit down with Emily Lynn Létourneau, president of the Ottawa Wolves, an LGBTQ+ rugby club from Ottawa, Canada.Emily takes us through her journey into rugby, from growing up in a small town in northern Quebec where rugby barely existed to becoming a player, coach, and leader within one of Canada’s LGBTQ+ rugby clubs. We talk about the growth of women’s rugby at the Bingham Cup, the rise of the Amanda Mark Cup, and why creating dedicated space for women and lesbians in queer rugby matters.But things get especially interesting when we talk about a viral moment involving a gay rugby team and a lesbian bar. Emily gives her perspective on whether gay men belong in lesbian spaces, why those spaces were created in the first place, and where the line should be when it comes to respecting queer spaces.Along the way, we get into the stereotypes surrounding lesbian rugby players, what gay men could learn from lesbians, dating within your rugby club, and what the future could look like for women’s LGBTQ+ rugby.Recorded in Brisbane during the 2026 Bingham Cup.The Gay Rugby Podcast is a comedy and culture podcast about gay rugby, LGBTQ+ sports, queer culture, community, travel, and the people making rugby a more inclusive place.Filmed, edited and produced by Jack HigginsExecutive Producer Ozzie Luna

Why Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ Rugby Club Struggles to Recruit Japanese Players We sat down with Daniel, founder of the Tsurumi Brats, during the 2026 Bingham Cup in Brisbane, Australia, to talk about the unique challenges of building an LGBTQ+ rugby community in Japan.

Tsurumi Brats are a Tokyo-based inclusive rugby club, and Daniel explains why Japanese and foreign rugby communities have often remained separate, the challenges of recruiting Japanese players, and how language and cultural differences can make it difficult to bring the two communities together.

Despite having a large international player base, Tsurumi Brats are working to create more connections between Japanese and foreign players and build a rugby community where everyone can play together.

We talk about gay rugby in Japan, LGBTQ+ rugby, Tokyo rugby, Japanese rugby culture, recruiting Japanese players, foreign rugby players in Japan, and the challenges of building an inclusive rugby club.

Filmed during the Bingham Cup Brisbane 2026, the world's largest international celebration of inclusive rugby, where teams from around the world came together to compete and connect. Tsurumi Brats represented Tokyo and Japan on the international stage.