Jarryd Hayne pleads not guilty to rape charges
Jarryd Hayne has pleaded not guilty to charges that he raped a woman last year.
The 31-year-old is accused of attacking a 26-year-old woman in Newcastle (Australia) last September.
He was arrested in December and charged with aggravated sexual assault and inflicting actual bodily harm.
Hayne entered his not guilty plea at a court hearing on Thursday and will remain on bail until a trial begins in May 2020.
Police began investigating after hearing allegations that a woman had been assaulted by a man she met on social media.
Hayne – who is currently without a club – has earned 10 caps for Fiji and 12 caps for Australia, while representing New South Wales 23 times at Origin level.
The utility-back has made 214 NRL appearances for Parramatta Eels and Gold Coast Titans.
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