JARRYD Hayne will have to look outside of Sydney if he wants to play Super Rugby in 2017 after the Waratahs confirmed on Tuesday that they will not table an offer for the cross-code superstar.

Foxsports.com.au can reveal that after much consideration, the Waratahs have decided “quick fix” Hayne doesn’t fit with the club’s current direction.

The decision to shoulder arms comes less than a week after Hayne was snapped leaving his second meeting with Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver.

Pulver revealed Hayne had approached the ARU to discuss his career options after the former league and NFL star was overlooked for Fiji’s Olympic sevens squad.

Waratahs chief executive Andrew Hore described the decision as a “watershed” moment in the club’s history.

It will also surprise many, given Hayne is one of Australia’s most marketable athletes and would undoubtedly boost sagging Super Rugby crowds.

“We’re not going to pursue Jarryd at this present point in time, and I think it’s a bit of a watershed moment for the organisation,” Hore said.

“We feel with the fact that we’ve combined both NSW and Waratahs rugby that our first priority has got to be making NSW a great rugby state again and that’s got to be our primary focus.

Jarryd Hayne of Fiji warms up at the London Sevens.Jarryd Hayne of Fiji warms up at the London Sevens.Source: Getty Images

“Now, is a quick fix going to do that?

“We don’t think it is.

“We think the issues in our game are that broad and deep that we want to focus on resolving those, and when you’ve already got 10-plus Wallabies — plus Israel Folau in our team — we feel that there’s enough star-power there at this stage.

“Maybe it’s about utilising their skillset more, while at the same time increasing investment into the things that are going to make us a great rugby state once again.”

It is understood Hayne wants to live in Sydney and his flirtation with Fiji means he is not eligible to play for the Wallabies and have his contract boosted by the ARU.

As a result, the Waratahs would have to dig deep into their pockets to table a competitive offer as NRL clubs circle.

Hore, a New Zealander who took the reins of the Waratahs in April, has other priorities after a season in which NSW missed out on the finals with a 8-7 record.

“We believe we’ve got to focus more on those others areas of the game: youth development, infrastructure and building the game of rugby union for all shapes and sizes,” Hore said.

Waratahs CEO Andrew Hore.Waratahs CEO Andrew Hore.Source: News Corp Australia

“Now, there’s no doubt that if there was unlimited resources, that a player like Jarryd Hayne may have been of real benefit.

“But right now we have a new and exciting young group of players, (and) combined with the needs of our game to put it back on an even keel, talking to Jarryd probably at the moment isn’t the right thing for us as a sport.

“First and foremost we’ve got to continue to look at how we grow our own.

“We’ve got a new and exciting leadership group in our team, and a lot of new players coming in next year, so it’s really important that we ensure that we grow and invest in an environment which helps them excel, and sometimes if you redirect that financial resource it means you can’t do that.”

On Thursday Pulver told Fox Sports that it would be “terrific” to have Hayne in Australian rugby and that the code had put together a “pretty compelling offer” for him.

Hore stressed the importance of the ARU and Super Rugby provinces remaining unified as cashed-up European and Japanese clubs come knocking.

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“I think Rob Clarke (ARU chief operating officer), Bill and myself work pretty well, and long may that continue because the enemies aren’t from within, with regard to Australian rugby, the enemy are actually the global issues that are happening,” Hore said.

“Fighting among ourselves is not going to take us anywhere.

“This is not an anti-ARU thing, this is not an anti-Jarryd Hayne thing, this is right, we actually need to roll our sleeves up and grow rugby, and we’ve got some tough times coming.”

After last year’s World Cup, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, James Horwill and Sekope Kepu left Australia to play in France and England.

While Cooper and Kepu have returned, the exodus continues with Kurtley Beale, Dave Dennis, Matt Toomua, Liam Gill, Mike Harris and Joe Tomane all Europe-bound.

Hore, who joined the Waratahs from Welsh club Ospreys, knows the financial threat only too well.

Hoiles keen to see Hayne

Hoiles keen to see Hayne

2:51

On Monday, England’s Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby Limited signed a new £225, eight-year deal which is expected to put further pressure on Super Rugby franchises to retain their players.

“All of those kind of issues means that our problems are more based in getting our competition structure to one that people want to come and watch,” Hore said.

“And the ability to generate and invest into our junior programs and to continue to grow those — which with fairness to the ARU they have done — is vitally important.

“So we’ve got to stand back and be professional and say right: ‘quick fix is not the solution.’

“The game generally across the world has some real issues and we need to sit down, identify them, prioritise how we’re going to go about fixing them and sort some stuff out and that starts with us.

“We can’t keep bringing each other down, sooner or later as a sport we’ve got to band together.

“And we actually need people coming to the ground, we need them investing in rugby in whatever shape or form.

“Whether it’s buying a pie at the ground right through to multinational investment, they need to

see that we are a professional sport getting its act together from cradle to the grave.

“That’s what we need to focus on.”

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  • Sounds like he is definitely NRL bound just where is the real question. Most clubs that were initially interested have pulled out and only a few remain. Should be interesting to see what happens in the next dew weeks

    • Only Us, the Dragons and the Titans remain, we can afford him without moving on more players, St George and Titans would have to offload some players

    • Of course I want Jarryd. Absolutely.
      Just a comment on the Waratahs. If you absolutely had a real shot at Hayne and turned him down because you're already 'chock full of superstars ' then you deserve all the mediocre crowds, crappy ratings and zero media coverage that you'll undoubtedly get.
      But as an Eels fan thank you for not wanting Hayne. Cheers.
    • Hear ! Hear ! Muttman..
  • Its been stated in the article, they dont see him in the direction of the club, also the fact they dont get the top up as his ineligible to play for the Wallabies

  • 6 minutes playing 7's rugby for Fiji has cost him a truck load.

    If he was eligible to play for the Wallabies the ARU would have wanted to sign him and I believe he would have signed to.

  • You can't mean that Rey? You reckon Fiz is better for our club getting back on their feet than Jarred Haynes himself?

    Geez I really loved Fiz the player but can't see what he has done for us...nah can't think. We treated him well he did the right thing and retired. It's all over. Tbh thank goodness for that. His problems were too big for us despite our best efforts.

    I'll go with the prodigal son returns home anyday, over poor old mr problematic.
  • I'm coming home, I'm coming home, tell the world I'm comin home"
  • Bert

    I stated when he went to Fiji rugby he was either crazy or badly advised. If he played rugby would have been on a motza at the tahs and wallabies. would make an incredible no 13 or 15. Could have gone to euro rugby for 2017 to learn game on big $$$ then two years at tahs.
    By next World Cup in 2019 he would have been a global rugby superstar. Could have then done a sonny bill and transferred to 7s program for 2020 Olympics. Could have made a fortune and ticked league, rugby and 7's boxes.

    His options are now limited to league, euro or Japanese rugby.
  • Actually, I think Titans are a little bit of a threat. But only if we aren't allowed to afford Hayne. Neil Henry's comments where he said he wants to supply Hayne with a great overall side spiel. Sounded like a great pitch.
    Have no doubts Hayne wants back but depends on the offer from them I reckon. Could possibly blow us out of the water. Looking at their roster and considering their halves are elcheapo, we probs paying some of peats I'd say too.
    Titans squad wouldn't be too expensive, I would've thought?
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