Episode Details

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.