49ers Sign Australian Rugby Player

Australian rugby player, Jarryd Hayne signed a three year deal with the San Francisco 49ers this week. The sport of rugby is often described as a blend of soccer and American football. The main goal of football is to score points by running/throwing for a touchdown or kicking a field goal. The object of rugby is to carry and place the ball down on the opponents "touch line" or kick the ball between a goal post. Although football and rugby are not exactly the same game, their similarities should result in a pretty easy transition for Hayne. 

New 49ers head coach, Jim Tomsula may have been a deciding factor in Hayne's decision as an undrafted free agent. Tomsula has previously coached for the European NFL, which means he probably has a clear indication of how rugby and football players compare to each other. 

It will be interesting to witness the shift that Hayne will have to go through by converting to the NFL. Even though he is a pro athlete, he will have to adapt to a different sport than the one he has been playing since his NRL debut in 2006. 

Even though he may be doubted by many football fans because of his situation, I believe that he has a chance to prove himself and the fact that multi-sport professional athletes are still very relevant today.