Assault-Charge Jennings Gets A New Chance

FALLEN former Sale Sharks and England U20s midfield star Mark Jennings has spoken of how the combined assistance of the Rugby Players Association, Wilmslow Rugby Club and longtime friend Jonny Kennedy has provided him with salvation.

- Neale Harvey

Jennings hit rock bottom last April when he was fined and put on probation for assaulting a police officer – an incident fuelled by drink that was the culmination of loneliness, a fatherless upbringing and an addiction to drugs, alcohol and pain-killers.

His professional rugby career finished, Jennings left Sale on a ‘sabbatical’.

Seven months on, though, life for Jennings could not be more encouraging. Thanks to the RPA, the 26-year-old took counselling from Cognacity, experts in mental wellbeing employed by the Union who diagnosed that he was suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which affects over 50m people globally and fuels addictive behaviour.

Correctly medicated, Jennings now has a burgeoning career with Neubria, a supplements company run by former Sharks teammate Kennedy, while he has taken his first promising steps into coaching with level six side Wilmslow, who are currently top of North One West.