- The player has been named in the Fiji squad
- He had been accused of raping his ex-wife.
Rugby league player Michael Jennings, accused of raping his ex-wife, has been selected to represent Fiji Bati at the upcoming Pacific Championships.
The 36-year-old, who has played for both Tonga and Australia at international level, will retire at the end of the season, having made 307 appearances during his career.
Fiji will face Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands in the Pacific Bowl at the end of October, and coach Wise Kativerata called Jennings up to the team. Jennings qualifies to play for the national team thanks to his Fijian heritage.
Huddersfield Giants star Kevin Naiqama has also been called up to the squad, having last made his appearance for Fiji at the 2022 World Cup. Sunia Turuva will also join the squad, following her premiership win with Penrith .
It comes after the NRL canceled plans to hold Jennings’ 300th first grade match due to his “past conduct”.
Rugby player Michael Jennings, accused of raping his ex-wife, has been selected to represent Fiji
Former NRL star Jennings is pictured with his ex-wife Kirra Wilden (left) at the 2015 Dally M Awards.
“Due to past conduct, Michael Jennings will not receive official recognition from the NRL in his 300th match,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said in a statement earlier this season.
His ex-wife Kirra Wilden had said the league “doesn’t take women’s safety seriously.”
“I think it’s shameful that they allowed this to happen,” Wilden said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
“It’s worrying because I think the NRL doesn’t take women’s safety seriously.”
Despite that, Jennings led the Sydney Roosters in the historic game against the Knights earlier this season, but was subsequently rejected from the NRL player retirement ceremony during last weekend’s Grand Final.
The controversial star recently returned to playing rugby league following a three-year ban for doping.
While playing for Parramatta in 2020, Jennings had been suspended after testing positive for a banned steroid. In 2021, Parramatta terminated the centre’s contract, before the Roosters gave him a lifeline.
He would join the team on a “train and trial” deal before returning to the NRL at the start of the 2024 campaign. He would go on to make nine appearances for the Roosters this season.
The NRL had said Jennings would not receive official league recognition for his 300th game this season, but he led the Sydney Roosters in their game against the Knights.
Jennings had denied any wrongdoing after testing positive for the banned substance, but accepted the charges in a bid to reduce his ban from four to three years.
In December 2021, a New South Wales district court ordered the former New South Wales State of Origin player to pay almost $500,000 in damages to his ex-wife, Wilden.
Wilden had sued her ex-husband in February 2020, alleging multiple instances of rape during their relationship in 2014 and 2015.
But Jennings has never been charged with those allegations. He also denied sexually assaulting his ex-partner and said that if she had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, he was not the cause.
The Integrity Unit subsequently approved Jennings’ return to the NRL.
But Wilden’s lawyers have stated she has yet to receive any money from the NRL player following the civil case.
Jennings was also suspended for three years after testing positive for a banned substance.
His contract with the Eels was subsequently terminated and the Roosters gave him a lifeline.
“NRL represents our Australian spirit and our international identity,” Moya said of Luca-Leonard, the lawyer of record in the personal injury case.
“Our footballers are setting standards and should respect the law.”
