OT: Aussie Rugby player turning heads as NFL RB

HKPackFan · Post #1 » by **HKPackFan** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:33 am

I wanted to catch the eyes of some of the Aussies on this board. Are you guys familiar with this guy? Apparently he's making some noise as the first NON-PUNTER to be imported from down under as a running back in San Fransisco's training camp. Below they have the video of his big run in a pre-season game.

Is Jarryd Hayne a famous ruby star back home?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000510798/article/australian-rugby-star-hayne-sizzles-in-49ers-debut

Plossum · Post #2 » by **Plossum** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:47 pm

He plays rugby league. Rugby generally means rugby union and they're two different games (but similar. League was developed based on union over 100 years ago).

Hayne was arguably the best player in the game before he left for nfl. Certainly one of highest paid players.

He was a junior athletics champ and runs a pretty quick 100 I think. An incredible athlete but above all he walked away from millions to follow his nfl dream. Everyone here is pulling for him to make it.

trwi7 · Post #3 » by **trwi7** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:16 am

Aussie Rules Football > Rugby

BUCKnation · Post #4 » by **BUCKnation** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:02 am

Aussie Football is awesome.

emunney · Post #5 » by **emunney** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:03 am

I guess it's technically true that he walked away from millions, but he's also walking towards millions, so it's not the typical leaving cash on the table situation. Also, if he gets cut, can't he just go back to rugby and again with the millions?

blazza18 · Post #6 » by **blazza18** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 7:52 am

No doubt he'd earn more if he was still playing here but the walking away from millions is slightly over exaggerated.

Even though I'm not really a fan of his, it's a cool story to see if he makes it or not. The hype over him down here is crazy though.

trwi7 wrote:Aussie Rules Football > Rugby

Rugby league is better than both.

Garbs_7 · Post #7 » by **Garbs_7** » Fri Aug 21, 2015 4:00 am

blazza18 wrote:No doubt he'd earn more if he was still playing here but the walking away from millions is slightly over exaggerated.

Even though I'm not really a fan of his, it's a cool story to see if he makes it or not. The hype over him down here is crazy though.

trwi7 wrote:Aussie Rules Football > Rugby

Rugby league is better than both.

HKPackFan · Post #8 » by **HKPackFan** » Fri Sep 4, 2015 10:03 am

Holy F@#%! That Aussie. Oh man. Wish the Packers could put him on Defense at ILB, he'd probably end up our best ILB in a couple months. :lol:

You have arrived Jarryd.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBjUJ4yaiCE[/youtube]

vegaspacker · Post #9 » by **vegaspacker** » Sat Sep 5, 2015 7:24 am

Stupid ESPN FFL, doesn't allow me to even pick him up.... Not even listed. The guy had a 7 ypc average, highest in preseason. Thanks for bringing up this intriguing prospect... Cool stuffs

HKPackFan · Post #10 » by **HKPackFan** » Wed May 18, 2016 4:00 am

So ya...that ended quickly....

There's a lot of talk about him not being able to qualify for the olympic team due to the 6 months waiting period. That would suck to dump the NFL and then be blocked from the Olympics.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/15551904/jarryd-hayne-san-francisco-49ers-retires-nfl-join-fiji-rugby-sevens-olympics

Australian running back Jarryd Hayne is retiring from the NFL after one season, choosing instead to pursue a chance to compete with the Fiji Rugby Sevens in this summer's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"I am retiring from the NFL because the Fiji Rugby Sevens team reached out to me about the opportunity to join the team for the upcoming Olympics, and I simply could not pass that chance up," Hayne said in a statement. "The Olympics has been something I have admired since I was a little boy, and it is an opportunity I feel very similar to me joining the NFL."

Hayne, 28, signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in March 2015 after he gave up a lucrative rugby career in Australia to take a shot at the NFL. While Hayne was born in Australia, his father, Manoa Thompson, is Fijian. Hayne previously represented Fiji in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He played for Australia at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.