Australian media was thrown into chaos when former two-time NRL player of the year Jarryd Hayne announced last October that he was retiring from Rugby League to attempt to make it in the NFL. For Hayne, it was a long-held dream that he had tried to fulfill the previous year to try and get into the College Football system in America.
He made the first step towards fulfilling his dream in March when he signed for the San Francisco 49ers, and while this was huge in Australian media - it barely registered with the Americans.
Until now.
Hayne made his first appearance in a 49ers shirt, in their first preseason game against the Houston Texans. He started out ok with a two-yard-carry on his first involvement before he broke out a long range run (above - apologies for the American commentators clearly illustrating that they don't know what a scrum is)
Needless to say, people went wild:
#NFL debut for @jarrydhayne_1 and he's trending in the US AND Australia. #SFvsHOU pic.twitter.com/93bhtPrDoD
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 16, 2015
While no one expected Hayne to make the 53-man roster for the regular season, he's now shown enough to warrant another look. The 49ers staff have continually said positive things about him, and now American media sites are wondering if this isn't just a gimmick.
He's now being cast by NFL fantasy sites as a potential late-round pick in drafts, and could be expected to carve out a role in the team that is shorn of last season's starting running back in Frank Gore.
Around the NFL's Gregg Rosenthal was among those to be impressed, as well as former scouts Daniel Jeremiah and Lance Zierlein:
Rugby star Jarryd Hayne is not just a cute offseason story. 53-yard scamper for the 49ers!
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) August 16, 2015
Jarryd Hayne. Nice work mate.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) August 16, 2015
Former rugby star Jared Hayne showed patience, vision, wiggle and one-cut ability in his first half of pre-season football. Impressed.
— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) August 16, 2015
