Reality TV star Danielle Meagher makes startling new claims about her ‘affair’ with married footy legend Lote Tuqiri and the moment their risky romance fell apart
- Ex-NRL, Wallabies star was accused of cheating in 2014
- He reportedly had an affair with TV star Danielle Meagher
- Tuqiri has never admitted to the allegations
The TV star who claimed she had an affair with married NRL great Lote Tuqiri has made stunning new claims about how they met – and the moment their risky romance fell apart.
After playing for the Brisbane Broncos and Wallabies, the cross-code superstar was playing rugby in Ireland in 2013 when allegations emerged that he had had a month-long affair with Danielle Meagher, also known as ‘Dr Botox’ and played on TV. shows Dublin Wives and Celebrity Big Brother.
Tuqiri – who has never admitted to the allegations – is said to have met Meagher, who ran a Botox clinic, at a trendy nightspot called Krystle and told her his marriage to his wife Rebekah was over.
Now, Meagher has opened up about what she believes happened in her new book, Diary of a Botox Bitch, giving a more detailed account of what happened when they met.
“The truth was I immediately felt a chemistry with this man that I couldn’t explain,” wrote Meagher, who said she was “mesmerized” by the former rugby league and rugby union international, who she said told her that he and his wife had grown apart.
‘I decided to get to the point straight away. “Are you married to Lote?” He looked me straight in the eye, his expression sincere: ‘No, Danielle, that’s not me.’
Former reality TV star turned writer Danielle Meagher (pictured) has spilled the beans on what she claims was her extramarital affair with one of Australia’s greatest football players
Meagher claims she and Lote Tuqiri (pictured with wife Rebekah) had an affair while he played rugby in Ireland in 2013
The surprising details of the couple’s alleged romance feature Meagher (pictured), in which she admitted she was ‘mesmerised’ by the former Brisbane Broncos and Wallabies star
Meagher also described waking up next to the 45-year-old after they allegedly spent the night together.
“I turned over to look at him and of course he was still asleep. How had I managed to find such an exotic, mysterious-looking man in Dublin?’ she wrote.
“He had a Polynesian tattoo on the top of his arm and on his shoulder, which he later said was his mother’s totem pole from his tribe in Fiji. Can you imagine something as exotic as having your mother’s totem pole tattooed on your body?
‘Growing up in Ireland in the 80s, the only thing tattooed on most of us was the red mark of a wooden spoon, courtesy of an Irish mother!’
Meagher then explained how she found out that Tuqiri was still with Rebekah when hThe brothers recognized the Australian star’s name and researched his background.
She wrote that one of them told her, “He’s married, you know…I saw him six weeks ago at Cinnamon restaurant with his wife and two kids.”
The former TV star then claims the Australian denied any wrongdoing when she confronted him about his marriage, but he eventually confessed when her friends contacted his wife.
Tuqiri reunited with Rebekka in February 2014, two months after the scandal broke.
Irish reality star claims Tuqiri lied when she asked him if he was married – before learning about his wife through her brothers
Tuqiri (pictured playing for the Wallabies) and his wife put the scandal behind them and had their third child together, just over a year after the ‘affair’ first made headlines
The couple was seen picking up their sons Samson and Imosi from school and returning home.
In April 2015, Tuqiri and his wife revealed the happy news that they were expecting their third child, with the footy star posting a photo of the smiling couple with the caption: ‘Number 3 on the way.’
However, Rebekka is no longer on Tuqiri’s Instagram page.
The Fijian-born winger played a total of 167 NRL games, splitting his time between the Broncos, Wests Tigers and South Sydney.
He won the 1999 premiership with Brisbane and returned in 2014 to win another grand final with the Rabbitohs.
Tuqiri made headlines when he defected to rugby union in 2003, playing for the NSW Waratahs before winning selection with the Wallabies and playing 67 tests for Australia, scoring 30 tries.
His return to the NRL in 2010 was a success as he was soon selected to play another spell with the Kangaroos national team.