Re: Jarryd Hayne
Reply #135 –
Chip Kelly apparently has a different view to Kruddler - but then, so do most folk
SAN Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly says he was surprised by Jarryd Hayne’s announcement he was retiring from the NFL to play rugby sevens for Fiji at the Olympics.
Kelly also doused speculation the 49ers were planning to cut Hayne, which led to the Australian making a face-saving exit. The 49ers instead were bullish on Hayne, praising his ability to pick up Kelly’s new offence and excited about using his powerful, 188cm body and skills.
“He’s a really sharp learner,” Kelly told reporters on Tuesday at the 49ers’ Santa Clara facility.
“We were excited. He’s a big body and has a skill set.”
Hayne and the 49ers announced on Sunday that Hayne had made the decision to quit the NFL to pursue his dream of winning a gold medal at the Olympics.
Kelly said he didn’t speak to Hayne about possibly returning to the 49ers after his Olympics stint, although the team holds his rights.
Interesting how Hayne can represent Fiji without ever holding a Fijian passport. Apparently, there's also a question mark over Hayne's ability to pass the more stringent drug code in force for the Olympics, but I'm not sure how reliable that story is.