To Alfie's Relief and Surprise, the World Has Moved On.

It takes a big man to make a brave confession, and that is precisely what Gareth "Alfie" Thomas did this week when he confirmed to the sporting world that he is gay, thus confirming rumours that have been consistent in rugby and in Wales for quite a few years now. His reasons for coming out now, as opposed to five years' ago, are understandable. It is easier to do this after 100-plus international caps, the captaincy of Wales when they won the Grand Slam, and the captaincy of the British & Irish Lions, than it might be for a 21-year-old just starting out in the testosterone-fuelled world of rugby but to his immense relief and surprise nobody cares what his sexual persuasion may be, and if someone chooses to mock him on the rugby field it will merely underline that person's ignorance and prejudices. I wrote Alfie's column during the 2007 Rugby World Cup and afterwards and found him to be one of the nicest guys in rugby. He's also one of the funniest. Take his first speech as Lions captain after Brian O'Driscoll was spear-tackled after 25 seconds of the 2005 first test in New Zealand. "I've just got one thing to say," he announced, as the great and good of British and Irish Lions gathered in a circle on the pitch. "Don't panic."