Sam Stanley becomes first English rugby union player to come out as gay

England Sevens player Sam Stanley has admitted that he contemplated suicide before becoming the first English rugby union player to come out as gay.

The 23-year-old, who has played for Saracens in the past, has claimed that the fear of being publicly open about his sexuality almost became too much for him.

"I was standing on a bridge about four or five years ago overlooking a motorway in Essex," Stanley told The Times. "However, looking back, the idea that I would jump was ridiculous but it was as if I was thinking that I could get rid of the pain in one go.

"You are so worried about what people will think and I thought I couldn't be a macho rugby player the way I was, and there was nothing else I wanted to do with my life."

Earlier this month, Keegan Hirst became the first rugby league player in Britain to come out as gay.