Rugby Star Gareth Thomas Talks Coming Out Gay In Guinness Ad

In it, he tells the story of how his greatest fear wasn’t the opposition he faced on the pitch but the fear of rejection from his team-mates and everything he had known because of his sexuality.

Guinness is launching a campaign to promote its deep-rooted rugby ties ahead of the sport’s World Cup that will develop its recent focus on integrity and character.

He was the first Welsh player to earn a century of caps and his 41 worldwide tries were a Welsh record at the time.

‘In my darkest hour, I turned to my teammates, telling them I was gay – that was the toughest thing I’d ever done’. Without rugby, and the incredible support of my teammates and family, I most probably would have ended up either in prison or in a coffin six foot under. “They were there for me”.

Never Alone concentrates on the courage of Gareth himself in coming out and the empathy shown by his team mates when he did.

The films were created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, in collaboration with Australian director, John Hillcoat, whose credits include The Road and Lawless.

Ashwin Willemse: The Right Path celebrates the choice not to join a notorious gang in his native Cape Town and instead dedicate himself to his rugby career.

Along with the two adverts, Guinness is also releasing two short documentaries, which explore Thomas and Willemse’s stories in more detail.