Hayne talks with ARU

JARRYD Hayne is a step closer to playing with Israel Folau at the Waratahs next year after meeting the Australian Rugby Union for a second time.Hayne was captured by the Daily Telegraph emerging from a secret meeting with Australian rugby boss Bill Pulver at rugby’s St Leonards’ headquarters, just three weeks after first sitting down with the ARU chief executive.When approached Hayne and manager Wayne Beavis declined to comment but it is understood the ARU and the cross-code superstar discussed Hayne playing for the Waratahs next year in Super Rugby.It would be another blow to the embattled Parramatta Eels but if Hayne was to sign up for the Waratahs, it would set up a mouth-watering partnership with childhood mate Folau; who ironically also turned to rugby union in 2012 after a deal with the Eels fell through.“We have had dialogue with Jarryd and discussed the potential opportunities available to him in Rugby,” Pulver told the Daily Telegraph.WARATAHS: NSW would be happy to have HayneBIG BUCKS: Hayne could earn more money playing rugby than NRLJarryd Hayne leaves the ARU offices after meeting with CEO Bill Pulver. Picture: Mark EvansJarryd Hayne leaves the ARU offices after meeting with CEO Bill Pulver. Picture: Mark EvansSource: News Corp Australia“Jarryd is obviously a very high calibre athlete and we are always open to talking to a player who is genuinely interested in playing the game.”Asked about the story, Australian coach Michael Cheika said he hadn’t been involved in the talks given Hayne can’t play for the Wallabies but said there is definitely merit in signing him as a marquee recruit to help improve Australian players around him.“We have had foreign marquee players here in the past who have made valuable contributions, in a different way,” Cheika said on Fox Sports’ Rugby360.“Quality marquees like a guy like Hayne, makes his team more competitive and when his team is more competitive, they are playing in the finals, they are playing at the front end.“They are being competitive with the best teams in the comp, which is only good for the other players. I have lived that experience in Ireland where we had foreign marquee players to a certain limit, and they helped us to be more and more competitive.”Cheika said South African Jacques Potgeiter had made “a massive difference” for the Waratahs in their title-winning 2014 season.As with the first meeting on June 30, Beavis requested Wednesday’s discussion at the ARU.It is understood no money was discussed but Hayne and Beavis were seeking clarity on how an Aussie rugby contract in 2017 could be structured for the former NRL, NFL and Fijian sevens star.SEE BELOW: REASONS WHY HAYNE MAY OR MAY NOT JOIN RUGBY UNIONThis would indicate Hayne is eyeing off a stint in Japanese rugby in the second half of next year, which would be crucial for the 28-year-old to supplement a somewhat limited salary package in Australian rugby.Hayne can not play for the Wallabies because his international eligibility in rugby is now forever tied to Fiji, due to his cameo minutes at the London Sevens in June.But along with the Waratahs, it is believed the ARU are considering piecing together an attractive 8-month contract offer - at least - that could see Hayne make a massive impact for rugby in Waratahs’ colours.Could Hayne play his fourth code in four years?Could Hayne play his fourth code in four years?Source: The Daily TelegraphJust days after coach Daryl Gibson said he was searching for a back “with x-factor” to replace Kurtley Beale, the Waratahs could potentially offer Hayne a marquee contract in the vicinity of $300,000 a year; potentially more with third-party arrangements.If the ARU contributed a similar amount, Hayne could pocket a sizeable pro-rata sum that - in combination with a big Japanese payday - could still see him earn over a million dollars for the year.It has been strongly speculated the Eels were prepared to pay Hayne up to $1.5 million a season but with an administrator overseeing the entire Parramatta organisation, that sort of money would be in doubt.The ARU paying a non-Wallabies eligible player a top-up would be unprecedented, and would have the potential to cause a ruckus among the Waratahs rivals.Where the money came from would be critical, too, with Australian players not likely to be happy if fewer homegrown players got top-ups as a result.But such would be the massive off-field impact for the Waratahs of Hayne playing in the 15-man game - and for the fading profile of rugby in the Sydney market - both NSW and the ARU could justify the spend on marketing grounds alone.Folau is the highest paid rugby player in Australia but he has conservatively paid for himself several times in promotional value for rugby.Figures revealed by the Daily Telegraph in 2014 showed Folau was a lucrative “lightning rod” for publicity, ticket revenue and sponsorship dollars in his first year at the Waratahs in 2013.NSW boosted their media exposure by almost 50% from the 2012 season and according global sports marketing research company Repucom, the “QI media value” for the Tahs then-major sponsor HSBC, increased 46% up to $4.7 million. The Waratahs’ overall sponsorship value increased by approximately $1.5 million.Folau standing next to his old Minto mate Hayne in a Waratahs jersey would be a massive coup off the field, and on it as well.Hayne could potentially follow the footsteps of Folau and play fullback for the Waratahs.

"It's like the media are sending a message to our board. Can you imagine this at the broncos or storm. At the very least there would be conversations going on. Maybe there is...."

Replies

fishbulb July 20, 2016 at 9:48pm

Whatevs
Camo73 July 20, 2016 at 9:49pm

Whatever. We've hit rock bottom. Nobody really cares whether Jarryd comes or not. We can win without him and there will be another superstar.
Jack July 20, 2016 at 9:55pm

This club is useless. Wasn't long ago both we're meant to be in a eels jersey
Michael Ryan July 20, 2016 at 10:01pm

I heard the Storm are targeting French.
Anthony July 20, 2016 at 10:07pm

Hayne won't come back
We will sign Robson for 17
slip July 20, 2016 at 10:16pm

We are cursed!!! A few years ago it was looking like Hayne and Folau would both be at Parra, but now it appears we will have neither.
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 20, 2016 at 10:19pm

Nothing to see here, just Bevis doing his best to drive Jarryds price up before he signs on the dotted line for us.
PARRAAAAAAAA July 20, 2016 at 10:22pm

Biggest BS
Gray Fox July 20, 2016 at 10:28pm

I think you're actually spot on with this, Monto. Hayne despises the media and doesn't like the idea of re-entering the NRL pressure cooker with hounding journos constantly looking for a story. He views the Sydney media as petty and immature. Considering the amount of front-page news dedicated to the NRL and the Eels this year even with all the pretty big events happening around the world and the country, I think this is a fair statement.
FME July 20, 2016 at 10:31pm

So hayne is going to French rugby, the waratahs, Japanese rugby, the bulldogs, the roosters and the eels. Have I missed anyone? Seems like the media are going to throw up as many teams as possible so that they can say I told you so once hayne does decide who to play for.