Former England Star Starts New Career After False Allegations Ended Playing Career

Saturday, 09 May 2026 at 14:53

bySteven Smith

Former Marland Yarde winger Marland Yarde has revealed he holds no bitterness towards the woman who falsely accused him of rape, as he continues rebuilding his life after one of the most traumatic periods of his career.

Now 33, Yarde has retired from professional rugby and relocated to Lisbon, where he is raising his son and working towards a completely new career away from the sport.

Speaking candidly on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, the former England international reflected on the false allegations made against him in January 2022 by Sandra Ntonya and the long-lasting impact they had on both his career and personal life.

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“I had to take responsibility”

Despite being entirely innocent, Yarde says the experience forced him to look inward and accept responsibility for the circumstances that placed him in such a vulnerable position.

“I can only blame myself, and I had to look at myself within myself first,” Yarde said.

“You have to take responsibility for putting yourself in that scenario. I should never have been around this person.”

The former winger explained that elite athletes have a duty to protect their reputation and the people around them.

“As a professional athlete, you have a responsibility; you have a lot of kids who look up to you. You have a responsibility to your teammates, to your family and everyone else that’s associated with you.”

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A difficult period off the field

Yarde admitted he was struggling mentally and dealing with family issues at the time.

“I was going through a pretty difficult period of time mentally, in terms of life and family at home,” he said.

Although he knew he had done nothing wrong, strict legal constraints meant he was unable to publicly defend himself.

“I obviously knew that I had never done anything wrong. But as an athlete, you can’t really say anything.”

Rugby career stalled

After Yarde was cleared and Ntonya admitted fabricating the allegations, he expected to resume his career in England. Instead, he found doors repeatedly closed.

“I’ve got coaches throughout the Premiership who are like, ‘yeah, we will take him’. But then maybe the CEO or someone’s just blocked it.”

“So I’m like, at what stage is my life supposed to just be over now? Because I know I haven’t done anything wrong.

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“It made me a better person”

Rather than dwelling on resentment, Yarde believes the ordeal helped him grow.

“I feel like this allowed me to grow,” he said.

“It made me a better person. It made me appreciate the things, protecting your peace, protecting people around you.”

After enjoying a spell in France with Aviron Bayonnais, Yarde has now turned his attention to a fresh challenge. Living in Lisbon, he is training to become a commercial pilot while focusing on what matters most: being the best father he can be and building a stable future for his family.

The richest owners in Prem Rugby (Ranked 5-1)

From energy drink empires to finance moguls, here are the five richest owners currently shaping the future of PREM Rugby.

5 Simon Orange

Nationality: British
Net worth: £1.25 billion
Rugby CV: Co-owner, Sale Sharks

For Simon Orange, rugby is both a local passion and a family commitment. The Sale Sharks co-owner recently saw his wealth rise sharply after selling a majority stake in his investment firm, Corpacq, in a deal worth more than £1 billion.

The buyer was private equity firm TDR Capital, which acquired the business Orange founded and chaired in 2006.

Based in Altrincham, Corpacq invests in small and medium sized British businesses, particularly across the industrial and services sectors.

Away from finance, Orange has become a prominent figure in rugby since acquiring Sale Sharks in 2016 alongside his wife Michelle.

He is also frequently linked in the media to his brother, former Take That member Jason Orange.

4 Bill Foley

Nationality: American
Net worth: £1.9 billion
Rugby CV: Owner, Exeter Chiefs

The leading figure behind Black Knight Football Club, which recently acquired Exeter Chiefs, Foley is chairman of Fidelity National Financial, Cannae Holdings, and Black Knight Financial Services.

He is managing general partner of Black Knight Football Club, which owns AFC Bournemouth, Auckland FC, Moreirense, and, since January 2026, French club FC Lorient.

Forbes currently estimates his real time net worth at around $2.6 billion.

3 Steve Lansdown

Nationality: British
Net Worth: £2.3 billion
Rugby CV: Owner, Bristol Bears

Lansdown co-founded the British financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown alongside Peter Hargreaves.

He is also the founder of Bristol Sport and majority shareholder of Bristol Bears, Bristol Flyers, and Bristol City Football Club.

In 2012, he formalised his ownership of Bristol Rugby, now known as Bristol Bears.

Five years later, the club signed New Zealand international Charles Piutau on a reported £1 million per season deal, making him the highest paid player in Premiership history at the time. The contract was backed by Lansdown.

In April 2020, Lansdown sold 2.2% of his shares in Hargreaves Lansdown for £160 million, reducing his stake in the company to 7%.

According to The Sunday Times Rich List, Lansdown was worth £1.72 billion in 2019, although more recent estimates place his fortune slightly above that figure today.

2 Sir James Dyson

Nationality: British
Net worth: £9.7 billion
Rugby CV: Owner, Bath Rugby

Dyson is an English inventor, industrial designer, farmer, and businessman who founded Dyson.

He is best known for inventing the bagless vacuum cleaner, which uses cyclonic separation technology.

In the 2023 edition of The Sunday Times Rich List, Dyson ranked as the fifth richest person in the UK, with an estimated family fortune of £23 billion. As of March 2025, Forbes estimated his personal net worth at $13.3 billion.

Earlier this year, Dyson acquired a 50% stake in Bath Rugby, committing substantial new investment to the English champions.

The 78 year old, a long time supporter and regular visitor to The Rec, now shares ownership with Bruce Craig, who bought the club 17 years ago.

1 Chalerm Yoovidhya

Nationality: Thai
Net worth: £26.5 billion (company valuation)
Rugby CV: Owners, Newcastle Red Bulls, formerly Newcastle Falcons

Towering above the rest financially is Red Bull, whose empire spans energy drinks, Formula 1, and now rugby.

The Austrian company, jointly owned by the Yoovidhya family and Mark Mateschitz, made headlines this year after acquiring Prem club Newcastle Falcons and rebranding them as Newcastle Red Bulls.

Red Bull’s arrival at Kingston Park has brought renewed optimism among supporters hoping for a revival of the club’s former success, with the new owners already making ambitious moves in the transfer market.

Known for its aggressive sports marketing and high performance culture, Red Bull’s move into rugby could significantly influence how professional clubs operate by combining global commercial reach with local identity.

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