Aussie Hayne set to make 49ers NFL debut

Former Australia rugby league star Jarryd Hayne was poised to make his full National Football League debut for the San Francisco 49ers here Monday after being included on the team's starting roster.

Hayne, who surprised many by winning a place on the 49ers regular season roster less than a year after switching sports, was not among seven players listed as inactive shortly before kick-off.

It means Hayne, 27, is now certain to start against the Minnesota Vikings in the 49ers' opening match of the season at Levi's Stadium.

Hayne has already played in a series of pre-season games for the 49ers, doing enough to persuade head coach Jim Tomsula that he deserved a place in the team's roster.

In four games Hayne led the 49ers with 175 rushing yards while also averaging 18.1 yards in nine punt returns.

Tomsula however had attempted to damp down the hype surrounding Hayne, emphasising last week that the Australian was a still a long way from the finished article.

"I don't want to take anything away from what the man has achieved. All he's achieved was an opportunity to be in the locker room," Tomsula said.
Source: AFP