Hayne 'worth $1m in rugby'
Brent Read and Stuart Honeysett | August 25, 2009
Article from: The Australian
FORMER Wallabies coach Eddie Jones last night predicted Jarryd Hayne would have no trouble handling a switch of codes and warned he could command more than $1million a season in European rugby union.
Jones's comments came amid speculation last night that the Parramatta fullback was about to be the subject of a massive offer from the Australian Rugby Union.
A Sydney radio station reported that the ARU would offer Hayne a multi--million-dollar contract to switch to rugby.
Hayne, off contract at the end of next season, has suspended talks with Parramatta until the end of the season. However, the Eels have already approached the NRL for guidance as they look to fend off any interest from rugby.
While there is a sense Australian rugby has become gun-shy over the recruitment of rugby league players following the well-documented problems with Wendell Sailor and more recently Lote Tuqiri, Hayne would be an ideal fit for any of the domestic Super 14 teams.
He also shapes as an attractive option for European rugby -- former league internationals Sonny Bill Williams and Craig Gower have become stars in France -- given he could travel on a Fijian passport, which would allow him to be a 'local' there.
Although he has seen little of Hayne this year, Jones suggested he could see the Eels fullback becoming a superstar in the 15-man game.
"He's an outstanding player," Jones said. "He can score a try. One of his big advantages is he is quite a big guy and he's got pace. In rugby you need to have big wingers so you can carry the ball through contact.
"That's what the Wallabies are really missing without Lote. What I have seen of him (Hayne), he would do extremely well."
Parramatta would be powerless to match the money on offer in Europe, although it is expected to reward Hayne with a contract extension, to make him among the highest earners in the NRL.
Given his form, it would be money well spent. Hayne is arguably the game's No1 player following a string of superlative performances which have shunted his club back into the finals picture.
"He would be outstanding," Jones said. "He's right at the top of the range. Blokes like that always do well in rugby."
Hayne was cleared to face Penrith in a match both teams must win to keep their finals hopes alive at Parramatta Stadium on Friday night after the match review committee cleared him of an alleged forearm on Wests Tigers' Gareth Ellis.
"There's nothing but accidental contact," NRL match review committee commissioner Greg McCallum said.
"Jarryd had the ball and as he was twisted over to go to the ground he's probably made contact with him in the face.
"But there was no force, it was only very minor contact and it wasn't intentional or reckless."
Speaking before training at Parramatta Stadium yesterday, Hayne said he was confident that he never had a case to answer.
"I didn't think there was anything in it," Hayne said. He downplayed talk that he is the best player in the world at the moment and attributed his stunning form to his change in approach to life off the field.
A one-time party boy who was caught up in a Kings Cross drive-by shooting with former St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier in 2007, the Eels fullback has found a new lease of life after playing for Fiji in the World Cup at the end of last season.
He said his new approach has been a major catalyst to the Eels rediscovering the type of form that took them to the finals in 2006 and 2007.
"On the weekend (against Wests Tigers) I had such a good game and everyone thought I would be out partying but I stayed home and the latest I went out was for dinner on Saturday night," Hayne said.
"That's something two years ago probably wouldn't have been me, but straight after the Wests Tigers game I was on to the Penrith game and worrying about that.
"I keep relating to the World Cup and how much that made me realise what I have and how I was wasting it. A lot of players take it for granted playing in the NRL, so I'm trying my hardest and trying to keep my head straight and put my best foot forward every week."
The Eels are just outside the top eight in ninth and Hayne said the team was thriving on the pressure of playing sudden death football every week.
"It's like every week is a challenge and every week we've got to win to stay in contention to make the eight," he said.
"It's a bit different for us compared to the Dragons because if they lose they aren't really affected whereas if we were to lose it could end out season."
