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Jarryd Hayne impresses again for the San Francisco 49ers

AFTER another impressive performance for the 49ers, the world has well and truly caught Jarryd Hayne fever.

DAN ELSOM
5 min read
August 24, 2015 - 3:05PM
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 15: Jarryd Hayne #38 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a 53-yard gain during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on August 15, 2015 in Houston, Texas. The Texans defeated the 49ers 23-10. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 15: Jarryd Hayne #38 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a 53-yard gain during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on August 15, 2015 in Houston, Texas. The Texans defeated the 49ers 23-10. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

IT didn’t take long for Jarryd Hayne to make an impact in his second ever pre-season NFL game as the San Francisco 49ers played host to the Dallas Cowboys.

With his first touch of the day, the Aussie fielded a punt over his head while running backwards, before stepping his way past defenders for a 27-yard return.

Making an impact from the outset, Hayne had the commentators excitably calling his name with just two minutes of play down.

With two more returns in the first quarter and a total of 84 yards, the Hayne Plane once again became the centre of attention.

And he didn’t stop there, going on a 34-yard run and even producing the goods in defence.

This is how the world reacted...

US MEDIA

AMERICA has declared Jarryd Hayne as “hired” following his stunning performance.

San Francisco Chronicle immediately ran with the headline: “You’re hired.”

Well done, Jarryd Hayne.
Well done, Jarryd Hayne.

San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch declared on behalf of the US media that the Hayne Plane had successfully stepped up to the challenge set by 49ers coach Jim Tomsula who said he would have to “battle” to make the roster.

“Hayne appears to be done battling after running through the Cowboys punt-coverage units tonight in the first quarter of the 49ers’ second preseason game at Levi’s Stadium,” Branch wrote.

“Hayne began securing a job less than two minutes into the game with a 27-yard punt return that he began by making a running over-the-shoulder catch of Chris Jones’ soaring 66-yard punt.”

And Branch seems to be fairly confident that the former NRL star won’t be leaving the 49ers in the foreseeable future.

“Are the 49ers really going to cut a player who has averaged 18.5 yards on his first 11 NFL touches?” he wrote.

The NFL has followed suit on their website, as journalist Chris Wesseling claimed Hayne is a certainty to make the 49ers final 53-man roster.

“Even if coach Jim Tomsula continues to tamp down the hype, the question has gone from whether Hayne will make the final roster to whether he will hit the ground running as one of the NFL’s most effective return specialists,” Wesseling wrote.

Wesseling was clearly impressed with the rugby league convert, noting his impressive playmaking skills as responsible for his honourable pre-season statistics.

“There’s nothing fluky about his playmaking ability in space,” Wesseling wrote.

“Hayne’s first 18 preseason touches have netted 235 yards. Demonstrating a knack for making the gunner miss with his first move, Hayne’s five punt returns have all gone for at least 10 yards.”

Prominent American media personnel have flocked to Twitter to get in on a piece of the social media steam train that has become Jarryd Hayne’s NFL career.

THE COMMENTATORS

HAYNE isn’t just putting Australian sport on the map, he’s helping to introduce some authentic Australian lingo into the American lexicon.

The Hayne Plane hype has infiltrated the US, with NFL commentators brushing up on their “Aussie” ahead of his second NFL pre-season match for the San Francisco 49ers.

“G’day mate,” one commentator declared after Hayne’s impressive first punt return of the match.

“He does this a few more times we’re all going to be eating Vegemite up here.”

The Australian cliches keep on coming.

“I hate to say it but there’s going to be more shrimp on the barbie,” said one commentator following a Hayne run during a stint at running back.

The Levi’s Stadium commentary team seemed to be full of Hayne analogies, giving him more than one pat on the back.

“Punts haven’t been this exciting here for a long time,” one commentator said. “If you thought he made a statement last week he’s screaming from a mountain top in this first quarter.”

Another added: “It’s hard not to put that guy on your football team.”

After yet another 34-yard gain from running back, the men in the commentary box couldn’t contain their excitement for the league’s newest Australian prospect.

“This is the story of the pre-season in pro football,” one commentator said.

HAYNE

HAYNE was interviewed on the field after the game and, after such a spectacular all-round performance, was asked if there was anything he couldn’t do?

“I don’t play quarterback,” Hayne said with a smile. “I’ve just been grateful for the opportunity and whenever I get the opportunity to be on the field I’m there.

“I’m still getting used to lowering my pads and running off the right blocks ... I’m just trying my best every week, studying and enjoying the process.”

TOMSULA

THE 49ers coach Jim Tomsula again deflected comments suggesting Hayne was a certainty to make the final team, in an attempt to limit the pressure placed on the 27-year-old.

However, Tomsula told reporter Ben Everill of AAP that the former Parramatta Eel was making a solid case for himself.

“Obviously the guy is doing really well and making a great case for himself,” Tomsula said.

“That’s the story. He’s never played the game and is in the conversation to make the 53-man roster. That speaks to who he is.”

“It’s the second game of the pre-season, he’s just got to keep working.”

49ERS

San Francisco are loving the energy Hayne is bringing to the stage, getting behind fellow Aussie athlete Andrew Bogut with the hastag #AussieConnection.

NFL

HAYNE is fast becoming a regular on the official NFL Twitter page — he won’t be flying under the radar anytime soon.

NRL COMMUNITY

THE rugby league community is notoriously tight-knit, so it would be rather unusual if they didn’t get around Hayne as his NFL dream became more of a reality with each play. And in true fashion, NRL players from all over, including plenty of Hayne’s former Parramatta Eels and Origin teammates, have shown their support for the 27-year-old.

THE ODDS

FOLLOWING his success against the Cowboys, Hayne is now at $1.20 to make the final cut for the 49ers roster.

“Hayne was $1.70 to make the cut before his first pre-season game, but would be hard to overlook now,” said TAB’s Matt Jenkins.

“If Hayne does make his debut against Minnesota, it will likely be our biggest holding game of the week.”

Since the end of the Cowboys game, Sportsbet have paid out almost $60,000 to customers who’ve backed him to play a regular season game in the NFL.

The 27-year-old is now a $2.50 chance to score a touchdown in a regular season game (in from $4.50), and is priced at $3.00 to celebrate his first touchdown with his trademark ‘Hayne Plane’.

“We opened Hayne as a $34 chance to play a regular season game and punters have been backing him confidently ever since. We see no point in making our shrewd customers wait to get their hands on their cash,” said Christian Jantzen of sportsbet.com.au.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/american-sports/jarryd-hayne-impresses-again-for-the-san-francisco-49ers/news-story/bee5a7112644484d77851224ef8efb9a