On the eve of one of the most important games of his career, Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas received a warning: The Sun newspaper was going to “out” him as gay. This is the story of two Welsh names bruised, but not beaten, by media speculation: Gareth Thomas, 100 caps for Wales, now the world’s most prominent gay sportsman; and his hometown, Bridgend, itself a victim of intrusion following the deaths of several young residents.