Jarryd Hayne has returned to the rugby league scene, stepping into a mentoring position with the Vodafone Fiji Bati ahead of the Pacific Championship. Reports from various outlets indicate that Hayne will work alongside players such as Michael Jennings, Sunia Turuva, Viliame Kikau, and Maika Sivo.
Hayne has arrived in Fiji and was seen attending a training session at Albert Park in Suva on Monday. While he has confirmed that he will not take the field as a player, he is excited to assume a mentoring role, as he has previously represented Fiji at the international level.
This involvement marks Hayne’s first connection with the NRL since 2018. Fiji’s coach Wise Kativerata, who once played alongside Hayne’s father, Manoa Thompson, reached out to Hayne to check on him following his release from prison. Hayne was incarcerated for nearly two years before being freed in June after successfully appealing a rape conviction.
Kativerata shared that he contacted Hayne to see how he was doing, and after discussing the need for a boost in Fijian rugby league, he invited Hayne to assist the team. Initially, Hayne thought it was a joke, but after recognizing his achievements in rugby league and his Fijian heritage, he agreed to participate.
Kativerata noted that many players on the Fiji team look up to Hayne due to his impressive career, which includes 214 NRL games and 10 international Test caps for Fiji. The Fiji team is set to face Papua New Guinea on Saturday night.