It was at his lowest point that Ryan Bath turned to what he knew best. He had played rugby all his life, turning out for a number of teams across the Swansea region.

But circumstances in his personal life meant that, earlier this year, he sought the services of professionals at Cefn Coed Hospital in Swansea , which provides a range of mental health care and support services.

Like so many before him, the facility helped the father-of-two get back on his feet. But it also provided inspiration; that rugby could be used to support others who also found themselves in a dark place.

Ryan, an educational support officer at Gower College Swansea, said: “I was at my lowest point. It meant I had to go to Cefn Coed. It was difficult to even say that I’d been there initially.

“But if you break your leg, you go to hospital to get it fixed. And if you have mental health issues, then you go somewhere like Cefn Coed. You shouldn’t feel you have to whisper it. My time there made me realise it is ok to talk.

“I was there during the World Cup, and there was some rugby on the television in the communal area. Before it came on, no-one was talking, but when the rugby started everyone began talking about the game.

“There was a guy there and I asked if he’d ever played rugby, and he said he’d never passed a ball. So we started doing something little, just passing a ball between us, setting ourselves a target, aiming to do fifty passes.

“And that’s when I realised the power of rugby, and the power of talking. I thought it was the best antidepressant.

“I spoke to a friend and he said it would be good to do something with rugby to get people talking. So it’s not just about opening up, but doing some physical activity as well.

“I’ve played for many sides in Swansea; Swansea Uplands , Penclawdd , the Gladiators, and most recently I’ve been involved with Fall Bay. They’ve got great facilities down there, so I thought it would be good to start up some rugby down there."

He said they started with a little bit of touch rugby, and some rugby drills and games.

“We want to get people active, which is always good for your mental wellbeing. But we also want to create an environment where people will talk about what is on their minds, what is bothering them. It is about ending the stigma around mental health.

“The first time we got together, we started throwing the ball about and got people engaging. We know people play for their own clubs, so we don’t expect them to sign up for us. But it is also for people who may not have played much rugby at all”.

Proving it is good to talk, the idea came to be realised when Ryan spoke to friend Sion Llewellyn-Betts.

(Image: Ryan Bath)

Sion, a 44-year-old who works for the Welsh Ambulance Service control centre in Carmarthen , said: “I was badly bullied at school, and things went from that.

“I never had an official diagnosis, but I think I am probably bi-polar. So today I am fine, but then things might threaten to come into my life and get me down.

“I played rugby at school but then life and work got in the way. I got involved with it again with the Vikings and the Gladiators teams in Swansea, but then I wrecked my knee, so physically I couldn’t really play rugby, so that wasn’t a good time for me.

“But Ryan’s idea started as a throwaway message when we were messaging each other on Facebook.

“We were talking about rugby and he said we should start our own club for people fighting depression, to provide some support, and based around rugby.

“We laughed about it, but when we went away and thought about it, we decided it was a really good idea. It is one of those things, that everyone experiences to a certain extent.

“Sometimes it comes to the fore, other times you do not want to get out of your bed.

“I used to work with Aberystwyth Students’ Union, and I remember during my time a student killed himself, so the union went big on mental health, and kept putting out the message that it was important to talk.

“There are a lot of very good support groups out there, but some people do not access them because of the stigma around mental health. They might think they are not the sort of people to stand up in a room of strangers and talk about their mental health, or tell them they are suffering from depression.

“But people know what rugby is all about, and Tough Talk is about engaging not just in physical activity, but getting the support that you get from teammates”.

(Image: Adrian White) (Image: Adrian White)

Tough Talk RFC , as it has been christened, is initially based in Fall Bay RFC on Gower .

Both men and women have been involved in the first few training sessions, which involve rugby-related games, training, and games of touch.

The idea is then to visit other rugby clubs in the region on a monthly basis.

Participants pass the ball around, and have the opportunity to talk about their experiences - though only if they wish - with food and a wind down in the clubhouse afterwards.

Former soldier Scott Parker, who ran a triathlon for mental health charity Mind three years ago, is also involved with the team.

He said: "I was in the army for eight years and did a number of tours, including in Kosovo.

"And I've had issues with deaths of family, and of friends.

"My grandfather died while I was away, and that was a bad time for me.

"And I've lost civilian mates who committed suicide. One was very close to me.

"So you have your highs and lows, and it is about getting over that old macho thing, just getting on with it and looking out yourself, but actually you're getting lower.

"Tough Talk is about using rugby as a tool, and a vehicle to help you through it. It's like the old adage, a problem shared, is a problem halved.

"In rugby you have that sense of a team. It is good to talk, and it is all confidential, but it is something that really, really works.

"On the field you discipline yourself, and become part of a team, and that should encourage people to talk to each other. You create a bond, a trust.

"If you start talking, you can improve your well-being, and your self esteem".