Melbourne Rangers.
Gay Rugby Team.

'Masculine guys who love rugby who just happen to be gay' ... the Melbourne Chargers at training. Photo: Justin McManus

GAY guys are not tough. And they certainly can't play a ''man's'' game like rugby. At least that's what Ben Lancken had heard growing up.

Competitive sport was not a place for ''queers''. So he dropped out of his high school team and took up umpiring instead. But his love for the game never left him. Four years ago, he decided to launch himself back into the sport in spectacular fashion. The 25-year-old formed Melbourne's first gay rugby union team in a bid to create a space where men who loved team sport could compete in a welcoming environment. Many of his first recruits were AFL exiles who had quit the game after experiencing homophobia and exclusion. Joining the Melbourne Chargers gave them a sense of belonging and a chance to shake off stereotypes.

''We don't all have feminine characteristics; we're not all interested in going to nightclubs and taking drugs or dressing up as women and dancing. These are masculine guys who love rugby who just happen to be gay,'' Lancken said.

The Chargers are the only gay team in a heterosexual league in the Victorian Rugby Union. Now, in its fourth season, the club raises no eyebrows. But before their first game the team members copped abuse from opposition supporters. ''Once we took the field the sledging stopped almost straightaway because they saw that we were playing rugby like any of them would have and we were competitive on the day,'' Lancken said. ''Ever since then there haven't been any onfield issues at all; we've had great support from all our opponents.''

Bolstering the Chargers' success is their alliance with the Melbourne Rugby Club, a mainstream club that has embraced the fledgling side. Chargers coach Neil Hay, a Londoner who has spent his life training straight rugby teams, said the partnership had been positive for all concerned.

''I thought there would be a number of people who were going to find it hard to accept a gay team within what is predominantly a heterosexual sport, but I was pleasantly surprised there were no objections at all from supporters or the board - everyone thought it would be great for the club,'' Hay said. ''One or two questions came up - how do we deal with the changing rooms - but it's not been an issue. They get changed, we have a chat, they get on the pitch, they play, they come back, we talk about the match, we go in the bar and we have a drink - same as it is for every other rugby team.''

From a sports administrator's perspective, Hay believes it makes financial sense to be more welcoming to any community that can increase participation levels in the game. But more than that, he argues that elite sport has a responsibility to lead social change.

''I think the AFL should look at other sports that have become more inclusive, because every time another club takes on board a gay team, gay members, and does it openly, then another brick in the wall is taken down and it's another opportunity for everybody to understand that it doesn't make any difference whether you're straight or gay.''