Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 43

Thread: Jarryd Hayne makes shock retirement from NFL to chase Olympic sevens dream for Fiji

  1. #1
    Senior Player Herbasimplex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Valley Forge
    Posts
    529
    vCash
    5000000

    Jarryd Hayne makes shock retirement from NFL to chase Olympic sevens dream for Fiji

    http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/ja...937946104ee944

    IN shock developments overnight, Jarryd Hayne has announced his retirement from the NFL to chase his Olympic dream with the Fiji sevens team.

    The San Francisco 49ers announced early Monday morning (AEST) that the running back was hanging up his cleats.

    Hayne, a former NRL star, has played league for Fiji and met with the country’s national sevens team at the Sydney world series tournament earlier this year.

    Fiji are leading the 2015-16 world series and finished runners-up to Samoa at the Paris Sevens on Monday morning (AEST).

    Hayne will link with the Fiji team later on Monday (European time) ahead of this weekend’s London Sevens — the last world series tournament before the Rio Olympics in August.

    Fox Sports understands Hayne will return to Australia before the Olympics, but has made no decision about whether he will play rugby league or rugby union after the Rio campaign - assuming he makes the final cut for Fiji’s squad.

    The 49ers released a lengthy statement from Hayne explaining his decision — which sent social media into meltdown.

    “I’d like to thank Jed and the entire York family for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of playing in the National Football League,” Hayne said.

    “I also want to thank Trent (San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke) and his staff, as well as Jim Tomsula, Tom Rathman and the other coaches who invested in me to make this dream a reality.

    “I’d also like to thank coach (Chip) Kelly for the opportunity to come back this year.

    “The support and understanding from the 49ers organisation was unbelievable when I let them know about my decision to pursue another dream.

    “The past 12 months with the San Francisco 49ers have been absolutely incredible.

    “I could not have predicted how far I have come as an NFL player.

    “To not only be able to play in a game but also say that I started a game in the NFL is something that I will remember for a lifetime.

    “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.

    “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.

    “The 49ers organisation has been incredibly supportive throughout my journey and I cannot thank them and the support staff enough.

    “I am especially grateful to the strength and conditioning coaches, trainers and medical staff, equipment guys, public relations crew, chefs, logistics, and merchandise staff for their countless hours helping me in many different ways, so I could focus on football.

    “Thank you to the fans from down under, as well as those around the world, who stood behind me and supported me along this amazing journey.

    “I also want to thank the boys, especially my running back brothers, for their help and support in my transition to the NFL.

    “I wish the team nothing but the best for the upcoming season.

    “Last but not least, I would like to thank the 49ers faithful for your unwavering support.

    “From day one you have always been in my corner and I can’t thank you enough for the love you’ve shown for the kid from down under.

    “Signing off, your mate, number 38.”

    Fiji sevens coach Ben Ryan welcomed the 28-year-old into his fold but warned there were no guarantees he would be selected for the London tournament or the Olympics.

    Sevens-mad Fiji are one of the hot medal favourites for Rio and are stacked with natural athletes that rival Hayne for speed, skills and power.

    Hayne has no top level rugby union or sevens experience.

    “I’ve had a few conversations with Jarryd and followed his career in the NRL in Australia, in the Bati with Fiji, and more recently with the NFL as a running back for the 49ers,” Ryan said.

    “He got a taste for sevens when he was with the boys in Sydney and that sowed a few seeds, and that has just got bigger.

    “He has had a chat with the 49ers and his agent, and I have with everybody else to make sure he is on our accreditation list and to ensure he ticks our boxes, he is a Fijian passport holder, all those sorts of things.

    “I have no promises he is going to make the 12 (for London), but we will see how he goes.

    “He will then come into Fijian camp for the Olympic period.

    “It is a huge challenge for Jarryd but if he gets into the squad it is only going to be on form, because he is a blinding rugby player.

    “If he doesn’t make it, is just shows how good this Fijian sevens side is.

    “It is a no lose situation for me.

    “It is no lose for Jarryd either, he gets himself into the possibility of being a part of this journey, and the boys are all going to learn off him as well.

    “He comes in with an A* but it is up to him to hang onto that, it’s really exciting and really what the Olympics is all about.”

    Ryan, an Englishman, will assemble a 24-man Fiji squad in June for a training camp before selecting his 12 for Rio.

    “The camp will be like Britain’s Got Talent or the X Factor, boys are going to get chopped until we get down to 12, it will be like a shootout.”

    49ers boss Baalke paid tribute to Hayne, who played eight NFL games last season and registered 17 carries for 52 yards along with six receptions for 27 yards.

    He also returned eight punts for 76 yards on special teams as Australian sports fans revelled in his unlikely cross-code feats.

    But Hayne made all his NFL appearances under Tomsula and his future in the sport was clouded when the coach was sacked at the end of the 2015-16 season and replaced with Kelly.

    “We would like to thank Jarryd for his contributions to the San Francisco 49ers organisation and our community over the last year,” Baalke said.

    “Jarryd is a tremendous example of what can happen when you commit to a goal and do everything in your power to make it a reality.

    “He earned the right to wear a 49ers uniform and compete alongside the best in the game.

    “We fully support Jarryd’s decision to pursue another dream — representing the Fiji rugby sevens team in this summer’s Olympic Games.

    “We look forward to watching him in Rio and wish him continued success.”

    Hayne is not the only NFL player chasing an Olympic dream via sevens.

    New England Patriots’ Super Bowl winner Nate Ebner is in the United States’ sevens squad while a host of Test rugby stars including Sonny Bill Williams and Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins are also on the road to Rio.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate

  2. #2
    Immortal Contributor
    Moderator
    travelling_gerry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth, Western Australia, Australia
    Posts
    18,483
    vCash
    5062000
    The former head of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has thrown a spanner in the works of Jarryd Hayne's plans to play Olympic rugby sevens for Fiji, saying the departing NFL convert may not even be eligible for Rio.

    Hayne made the stunning decision to walk away from the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers, saying he 'could not pass up' the chance to feature at the Olympic Games.

    "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 said on Monday morning.


    The 28-year-old was born in Sydney but his father, former NRL player Manoa Thompson, is Fijian

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-1...?section=sport

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  3. #3
    Veteran Contributor hertryk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Devonport Tasmania
    Posts
    4,881
    vCash
    5000000
    I think he's burning his bridges..first with NRL ..now NFL... what on earth is he up to.. No one is indispensable... are they???

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  4. #4
    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Mandurah
    Posts
    15,725
    vCash
    5470000
    Apparently there is one very large spanner in the works. NFL is not WADA compliant. No surprise there. BUT Hayne would have needed to be in the IOC testing pool for 6 months to be eligible because of that.
    Nice media stunt though. Wonder how much it will cost the ARU to get him to the Tahs.

    3 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David


  5. #5
    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Earth Capital
    Posts
    21,468
    vCash
    460000
    I read this morning that aparently WADA rules stipulate that Hayne has to go through a 6 month process to qualify for a sport that is a signatory to the WADA code because the NFL is not signed on to it.

    *Edit: Beaten by Shasta.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  6. #6
    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Earth Capital
    Posts
    21,468
    vCash
    460000
    Quote Originally Posted by hertryk View Post
    I think he's burning his bridges..first with NRL ..now NFL... what on earth is he up to.. No one is indispensable... are they???
    I don't think he burnt his bridges with the NRL with an SBW style walkout and even he was welcomed back eventually. If Hayne were to return he would be more than welcome.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  7. #7
    Immortal Contributor jono's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    10,554
    vCash
    5000000
    cant see where he's going to fit into the fiji line up.

    they havent really needed any other players this year & he's also left his run way late.

    all the best to him though - nobody can say he's going to die wondering!

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  8. #8
    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Mandurah
    Posts
    15,725
    vCash
    5470000
    Quote Originally Posted by jono View Post
    cant see where he's going to fit into the fiji line up.

    they havent really needed any other players this year & he's also left his run way late.

    all the best to him though - nobody can say he's going to die wondering!
    According to my sauces (the Mungos on 2SM) Fiji approached him. No money in the offer either apparently. After his success in the States his profile there won't do any harm to the 7's in Rio.
    There is some chatter in the East that he is actually bound for the Tahs next year. Not hard to see that when you think about it.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David


  9. #9
    Legend Contributor brokendown gunfighter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    wembley
    Posts
    8,036
    vCash
    5364000
    my sauces tell me Cronulla are all over him,like a rash

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  10. #10
    Immortal Contributor jono's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    10,554
    vCash
    5000000
    So basically it comes down to whether you prefer tomato or BBQ sauce?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  11. #11
    Veteran sittingbison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    North Freo
    Posts
    2,800
    vCash
    5000000
    Quote Originally Posted by shasta View Post
    According to my sauces (the Mungos on 2SM)...he is actually bound for the Tahs next year. Not hard to see that when you think about it.
    didn't have to think about it

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor

  12. #12
    Veteran sittingbison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    North Freo
    Posts
    2,800
    vCash
    5000000
    Quote Originally Posted by jargan83 View Post
    ...sport that is a signatory to the WADA code because the NFL is not signed on to it
    Quote Originally Posted by brokendown gunfighter View Post
    ...Cronulla are all over him,like a rash
    didnt have to think about that either


    my sauces claim Essendon are chasing him to do a KHunt

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor

  13. #13
    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Mandurah
    Posts
    15,725
    vCash
    5470000
    The artists formerly known as the IRB have said this morning that he's OK but will likely need to be in a special testing pool between now and RIO. Be interesting to see if he can get in enough aerobic work to make a decent 7's between now and then.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David


  14. #14
    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    West Leederville
    Posts
    16,871
    vCash
    3102000
    Are they getting them to piss in pool now to do the testing

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?

    Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!

    Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!

  15. #15
    Veteran beige's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    4,515
    vCash
    5000000
    Quote Originally Posted by shasta View Post
    Be interesting to see if he can get in enough aerobic work to make a decent 7's between now and then.
    Yeah we've seen the 15s players (and that one NFL player) take a number of tournaments to get "sevens fit" this year, so I don't know how Hayne will fare with only one tournament and training under his belt. Another issue is that Fiji is such a well-oiled machine nowadays - they look disorganised but they always have somebody hitting the hole at the right time so he'd have to get the hang of their structures quick-smart.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 18
    Last Post: 13-06-16, 22:10
  2. Cooper's Olympic Dream Crushed
    By Herbasimplex in forum Sevens
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 05-05-16, 19:25
  3. League Hayne quits NRL for NFL dream
    By The InnFORCEr in forum Other Sports
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 15-10-14, 19:37
  4. Kiwi's Olympic dream in tatters after doping ban
    By The InnFORCEr in forum Sevens
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 08-11-13, 12:13
  5. Fiji end England's Sevens dream
    By NewsBot in forum News Feeds
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 11-12-05, 06:56

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •