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The guy from Down Under knows how to put the opposition down flat.
That’s why Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne will be continuing his dream this fall as a 27-year-old rookie with the San Francisco 49ers.
“IT ALWAYS WORKS OUT! I thank GOD for WHAT HE has done and going to do on this incredible journey!! I’m on the 53 MAN ROSTER FOR THE #49ers,” Hayne tweeted Saturday when he learned he had made the cut.
Hayne on Thursday night had nonchalantly flattened a San Diego defender without losing a stride as he gained 12 yards on a screen pass. That night, he carried 10 times for 58 yards, caught two passes for 17 yards, and returned three punts for 43 yards.
“The fascination with him isn’t just because he’s an Aussie doing well in the States. It’s because he’s killing it. And he’s doing something no-one’s ever done: he’s playing what looks like rugby league in American football,” wrote Matt Clear in The Guardian.
“Believe it, baby. It’s a great story. The Hayne Train Who Got On A Plane and became a San Francisco 49er. And he’s done it playing what looks to us like rugby league,” Clear added.
“I have a journey I’m on at the moment. I’m just blessed and honored to be a part of the 49ers franchise,” Hayne said. “They’ve given me the opportunity. They’re the one that put faith in me.”
Hayne’s enthusiasm for his new sport is matched by the 49ers’ support for his amazing effort.
“It’s been really fun to watch. Right off the bat you notice how well he can catch a ball,” said placekicker Phil Dawson. “Catching a punt is probably one of the toughest skills in the NFL and he’s just stepped right in and looks like a natural. That’s something that was God given.”
“Am I extremely proud, yes, in taking a chance and looking outside the box here as an organization? Yes,” said Coach Jim Tonsula. “I’m extremely grateful and proud that the organization did that.”
The bottom line for Hayne is the opportunity to play.
“I want to take a risk, I want to put myself out there,” he said.
h/t: TheBlaze
This post originally appeared on Western Journalism – Equipping You With The Truth