The San Francisco 49ers confirmed on Tuesday they had signed Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne to a three-year-deal.
Hayne had earlier told a news conference in Sydney that he had agreed to a futures contract with the 49ers but San Francisco later announced the undrafted free agent had been given a three-year deal.
The 27-year-old Australian has never played American football before but attracted offers from three NFL teams; the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, after he announced last year he wanted to try his hand at NFL.
Hayne said he chose the 49ers after having a long talk with new coach Jim Tomsula, who had experience working with rugby players in Europe so was aware of the challenges Hayne faces in making the transition.
“For me this is a small step in the right direction,” Hayne said.
“The hard stuff starts now. Mentally I’m ready for anything. I’m going to do what it takes.”
Hayne said he had agreed to a rookie contract with the 49ers – US$100,000 (Dh367,295) – which guarantees him a spot at the club for 15-20 weeks.
But the he will need to further impress in the lead-up to the next NFL season, when the 49ers cut their roster to 53 players in August.
A two-time winner of the Dally M award as the NRL’s Player of the Year, including last season, Hayne has been a member of the Australia national team since 2007, winning 12 caps, and won a World Cup in 2013 with the Kangaroos. In 2009, he was named rugby league’s World Player of the Year.
He has spent his entire NRL career with the Parramatta Eels, and played also 20 State of Origin matches for New South Wales.
His versatility has seen him operate across the back line at fullback, centre and wing, but is the playmaker role at five-eight where he has made his name.
Very few professionals have been able to make the switch from one sport to another and the odds are heavily stacked against Hayne, although there have been some previous success stories.
A number of Australians have carved out careers in the NFL since track and field athlete Colin Ridgeway broke ground with a handful of games for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s.
Most have been punters from AFL (Australian Rules football). Ben Graham joined the New York Jets in 2005 age 31 and played for the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl in 2009.
In 2007, Sav Rocca became the oldest rookie in NFL history when he joined the Philadelphia Eagles at age 33, and went on to play seven full seasons, including three with the Washington Redskins.
No Australian in top-flight rugby league has ever made the switch, however, and Hayne said he was still young enough to return to the NRL if things didn’t work out.
Hayne’s best chances of making it appear to be either as a running back or a punt returner.
* Agencies
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'