What does it actually mean to be an inclusive rugby team in 2025? On Episode 32 of the Gay Rugby Podcast, we sat down on-site at the Rucktacular Rugby Tournament in Palm Springs with Danny Jimenez, president of San Diego Armada Rugby, to talk about identity, visibility, and what happens when a team forgets where it came from.The Armada didn’t start as just another inclusive rugby club. It was founded as a gay rugby team, built to give LGBTQ athletes a place on the pitch when few existed. Over time, that identity faded. The roster shifted. The marketing changed. The community presence softened. Eventually, the team found itself asking a hard question: if you’re open to everyone, but no longer home to the people you were created for, are you still truly inclusive?Danny breaks down how they made the decision to reclaim the club’s roots - not by excluding anyone, but by redefining rugby inclusivity in a way that actually serves the gay sports community again. We talk about why being a gay rugby team in a military city like San Diego adds another layer of complexity, where players are constantly coming and going, and how leadership, language, and outreach shape who feels welcome in the locker room.This episode goes deeper than just LGBTQ rugby. It’s about queer athletes in sports, how teams evolve, and why visibility still matters in spaces that claim to be “for everyone.” From rethinking branding to rebuilding culture, Danny shares what it takes to create an inclusive sports team that doesn’t erase its identity in the process.This conversation sits at the intersection of LGBTQ rugby, leadership, and identity in sport - where inclusion isn’t a slogan, but something you have to actively protect. It’s about how teams change, how communities get diluted, and what it takes to build something that actually belongs to the people it was created for.

What’s it actually like to be straight on a gay rugby team? In this episode of the Gay Rugby Podcast, we sit down with Garrett Mack, Vice President of Marketing, and Daniel, Secretary of the San Francisco Fog Rugby Club, to talk about identity, masculinity, and how inclusive sports culture works in real life; not just on paper.Founded in 2000, SF Fog Rugby is the first gay and inclusive rugby team on the West Coast and one of the most established LGBTQ+ rugby clubs in the United States. The Fog welcome players of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and experience levels, creating a team culture built on respect, competition, and community. From beginner-friendly entry points to high-level competitive play, Fog Rugby has become a model for inclusive rugby clubs nationwide and a cornerstone of San Francisco’s LGBTQ sports scene.Garrett and Daniel share how the Fog’s inclusive approach plays out on and off the pitch, including what it means to have straight and queer teammates building trust through full-contact sport. The conversation touches on how inclusive sports teams challenge outdated ideas about masculinity, why representation in rugby matters, and how the Fog continues to grow its reach through community engagement and visibility.The episode also honors the legacy of Mark Kendall Bingham, a Fog Rugby player whose impact extends far beyond rugby. Mark Bingham was one of the passengers who helped stop Flight 93 on September 11, and his legacy lives on through the Bingham Cup, the largest international gay rugby tournament in the world. Hosted every two years, the Bingham Cup brings together LGBTQ+ rugby teams from across the globe and stands as a powerful symbol of courage, inclusion, and rugby for all.Whether you’re searching for a gay rugby team, an inclusive rugby club in San Francisco, or curious about LGBTQ+ rugby history, this episode offers real insight into how inclusive team sports function day to day. If you’ve ever wondered how to join a rugby team, what gay rugby culture is actually like, or how inclusive sports communities thrive, this conversation delivers honest perspective from inside the huddle.Learn more about San Francisco Fog Rugby and how to get involved at fogrugby.com, and explore the global impact of inclusive rugby through International Gay Rugby and the Bingham Cup. Like, subscribe, and share for more conversations about rugby, identity, and community.

Welcome to The Gay Rugby Podcast! In this full episode, hosts Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna sit down with Logan Legs from Quake Rugby, one of the oldest and most inclusive men’s rugby clubs in the U.S., based in the Pacific Northwest. This episode was filmed live at Rucktacular, the premier LGBTQ+ and inclusive rugby tournament in Palm Springs, California, bringing together gay rugby teams from across North America for a weekend of competition, community, and unforgettable stories.During the episode, Logan shares a hilarious and awkward personal story about accidentally matching with their rugby coach on a faceless dating app—and only realizing who it was when they showed up in person. Jack and Ozzie break down the story, discussing the humor, awkwardness, and realities of dating within the gay rugby community, as well as the unique dynamics of relationships inside tight-knit sports teams.The episode also explores broader life in gay rugby, including the camaraderie, inclusivity, and competition that define teams like Quake Rugby. Fans get an inside look at Rucktacular, one of the largest LGBTQ+ rugby tournaments in the U.S., and hear stories from players and coaches about both on-field action and off-field life, from dating mishaps to community experiences that highlight the reality of LGBTQ+ athletes navigating sports and social life.Whether you’re a rugby fan, part of the LGBTQ+ sports community, or just love engaging and authentic personal stories, this episode with Logan Legs, co-hosted by Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna, delivers laughs, insight, and a behind-the-scenes look at gay rugby culture, dating, and life at inclusive rugby tournaments.

In Episode 29 of The Gay Rugby Podcast, hosts Jack Higgins and Ozzie Luna sit down with “Rugby Daddy” himself, longtime New-York City rugby lifer (and Gotham Knights legend) Kevin Healy, for a conversation that pulls back the curtain on the early days of gay and inclusive rugby, when there was no Instagram, no Tinder, just sweaty post-game beers, in-person recruiting, and a handful of shirts passed around the pitch.

Over two decades playing for Gotham Knights RFC: one of the founding clubs of International Gay Rugby (IGR) in the United States. Kevin witnessed first-hand how gay rugby went from underground whispers to international tournaments like the Bingham Cup. But this isn’t just nostalgia. As “Rugby Daddy,” Healy turned his love for the sport and his affection for the community into a print-on-demand merch company helping inclusive rugby teams fundraise, build identity, and support players.

On this episode he shows us his shirt designs, and talks about how merch became a lifeline for teams across the IGR network.We dig deep into the taboo and the tenderness of dating teammates, a reality some have lived, few have spoken about. We talk love and loyalty, identity and passion, the unspoken rituals of the locker room, and why being on a rugby team can feel like finding a home.

Whether you’re a seasoned rucker, a curious newcomer, or someone who just wants to see what happens when toughness meets tenderness; tune in. This isn’t just about sport. It’s about belonging.

There’s a certain poetry to how someone ends up in rugby without ever planning to touch the pitch. For Eric Anderson, it started the day his husband joined the local team in Los Angeles and Eric, who’d never played a minute, walked into the Rebellion’s orbit and somehow wound up running the whole thing. On Episode 28 of The Gay Rugby Podcast, Jack Higgins and Ozzy Luna sit down with Eric, now President of the Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby Club and part of the team behind Rugby LA, to talk about what it’s like to inherit a sport through love and build a community through intention.We get into the real stuff: how a partner’s weekend hobby morphed into a full-blown commitment to inclusive rugby in Los Angeles, what it means to lead one of the most visible LGBTQ+ rugby clubs in the country, and why the Rebellion has become a touchstone for queer athletes looking for a place to land. Eric also breaks down the work going into the upcoming Rucktacular Rugby Tournament in Palm Springs on December 13th, including a first-of-its-kind non-binary and trans-inclusive rugby match that’s pushing the sport forward in a way traditional leagues haven’t dared to.This episode touches on the entire ecosystem of queer rugby - from the Rebellion’s growth to the culture around International Gay Rugby, the Bingham Cup, community rugby in LA, and the broader movement to make full-contact sport accessible to every body. It’s the kind of conversation that reminds you how these clubs aren’t just teams; they’re survival networks, social circles, and accidental families.If you’ve ever wondered how someone becomes the face of a rugby club before ever lacing up boots - this is your episode.

Tom Goss brings the room to a hush before he makes it sing. We caught him with the band for a full live set and a wide-ranging interview that cuts under the surface of a queer music career, the songs that make crowds cheer, the parts of gay life only other gay men sing about, and why a single track like Bears can mean more than a chorus. Tom’s been turning honest storytelling into sing-along anthems for years; he’s toured, headlined pride stages, and built a quiet, fierce audience by telling simple truths. This episode moves between performance and conversation: acoustic confessions, band arrangements, and a talk about community; from the bear subculture to how queer musicians carve space on and off stage. If you want notes on how to find queer music near me, Tom Goss live set, or what it’s like to be a gay musician touring, listen for the full performance and the moments where Tom explains why visibility and joy matter. We also dig into practical bits for listeners: where to catch Tom on tour, what tracks to start with if you’re new to his music, and why live queer music scenes still feel like the best kind of resistance. If you searched gay singer songwriter, Tom Goss full set, queer artists live performance, or LGBTQ music podcast, this is the episode that answers those searches with songs and stories from within both the Rugby and Bear communities.

Lelo Adult Toys - Black Friday Sale | Save an additional 20% off already amazing deals by using code GRP20 at checkouthttps://www.lelo.com/Kevyn Fong doesn’t do small talk. The LA comedian came by the Gay Rugby Podcast and immediately started asking the questions everyone avoids — what actually happens when you join a gay rugby team, and what’s it like living inside that community once you’re in it?This episode sits somewhere between a locker room and a group therapy session. We talk about identity, masculinity, hookup culture, and how an inclusive rugby club becomes more than just a place to play. It’s a raw look at what it means to show up queer in a sport that still wears toughness like armor.Kevyn pushes us into uncomfortable territory — the gay rugby confessions we don’t always say out loud: dating within the team, the tension between competition and community, and the weird beauty of finding family on the field. If you’ve ever searched how to join gay rugby, LGBTQ rugby podcast, queer rugby stories, or just gay sports community LA, you’ll get why this conversation hits different.We also talk about the scene in Los Angeles gay rugby, from local clubs like Rebellion Rugby to the underground crossover between comedy and rugby LA. It’s funny, honest, and a little unhinged; the way good conversations should be.Subscribe to the Gay Rugby Podcast for more stories from inside the queer rugby community. Try Popstar today and use the code RUGBY for 20% off your first orderhttps://www.popstarlabs.com/rugby

On this week’s Halloween-themed episode of The Gay Rugby Podcast, we’re diving into the ridiculous, creative, and occasionally questionable world of rugby sevens fan costumes. From diehards who commit fully to a theme to those who look like they got dressed in the dark before kickoff, we’re ranking them all; not out of judgment, but appreciation for the spectacle that happens when sport collides with personality.This episode isn’t about who wore it best; it’s about how expression shows up in the stands. Rugby has always been about grit and teamwork, but there’s something special about seeing fans bring humor, camp, and individuality to the sidelines. Whether it’s a full-blown character transformation or a last-minute prop situation, each look tells a story about confidence, identity, and the culture that’s grown within inclusive rugby.We break down how costume can turn a tournament into a performance, how fans use it to subvert expectations, and how the queer rugby community finds joy and freedom in moments that might seem ridiculous to outsiders. This is the kind of episode that reminds you why sport can be more than a game; it’s a stage, a celebration, and sometimes, a drag show with a whistle.Subscribe to The Gay Rugby Podcast for new episodes every week!