San Francisco 49ers News and Rumors: Former Rugby Star Jarryd Hayne Promoted to Active Roster, Gets First Start
Rugby star Jarryd Hayne finally got his chance to officially become a professional American football player when the San Francisco 49ers promoted him to the active roster and gave him the chance to make his first start against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Australian rookie saw his team lose, 32-17, but his coach, Jim Tomsula believes his prized rookie did okay. "I thought he represented himself well," he said. He produced nine carries, good for 27 yards — numbers that aren't great but should be looked upon as something positive. He also made five receptions late in the fourth for 20 yards, but the 49ers couldn't pull out a win.
Hayne himself believes he's more than ready to take on the pros. "I'm capable of playing at this level. Confidence in my own ability is something I have a lot of, and to be able to go out there and perform the way I did today, it shows," he said.
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San Francisco kept on pushing for changes, especially this week. After Shaun Draughn's knee injury, the team had to activate a bunch of substitutes, in the process signing Dujuan Harris from the Baltimore Ravens and then upgrading Hayne to the active roster.
Although it wasn't officially announced who would start the game, the coaching staff did give that to Hayne, with Harris getting the second running back carry, finishing with 11 rushes for 73 yards. He also had a single reception good for 11 yards.
Harris played better than Hayne in the loss to Detroit, but the Australian rookie will have plenty of time to learn and be more productive. Tomsula believes that the only way for his rookie to improve is to give him more time and exposure in the field. His stint in the practice squad did provide him a lot of things to learn in football, a sport that bears similarities to his original undertaking — rugby.
