Former NRL star and Fiji Sevens international found guilty of rape

Two-time NRL player-of-the-year Jarryd Hayne has accepted he is going to jail for raping a woman in Newcastle, Australia, but has maintained his innocence. Hayne, whose multi-code career included stints at the Parramatta Eels, San Francisco 49ers and the Fiji rugby sevens team, was on Monday found guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

His victim had testified she told Hayne she wouldn't have sex with him, after realising the taxi he'd taken to her Newcastle home in 2018 was waiting outside for his departure.

Despite her protests of "no" and "no Jarryd", he became "rough, forceful and inconsiderate", pushing her face into the pillow, ripping her jeans off and raping her, she said.

Hayne testified the pair hadn't had "sex" as per the then-26-year-old's request but, after kissing, she consented to him doing other sexual acts on her.

A Sydney jury found the 33-year-old guilty of sexual intercourse without consent. The incident occurred on the same night as the NRL grand final after Hayne had been at a bachelor party.

While Hayne denied any criminality, he said he regretted what had happened between the pair.

Hayne is due to be sentenced on May 6, and could face up to 14 years in jail.

Hayne was named NRL player of the year in 2009 and 2014 and was capped 11 times for Australia, as well as winning four caps for Fiji.

He switched sports and joined the NFL in 2015, but failed to make a lasting impression at the San Francisco 49ers, resulting in another switch to play sevens rugby.

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