VODAFONE BATI STAR HAYNE HAPPY WITH LOCAL FANS
Jarryd Hayne says nine years ago he and his Fijian teammates could walk down the main streets of Suva and not be recognised.
But now the Vodafone Fiji Bati players are household names with Hayne joining the likes of Suliasi Vunivalu and Aku Uate in helping grow rugby league in the region. Despite losing their two matches last Saturday night, Hayne said rugby league in Fiji is on a dramatic rise after they hosted the Kangaroos for the first time. “We came here nine years ago and no one knew us,” Hayne said. “You would walk down the street and no one would ever know your name. Now everyone is crazy. They know the Australian players, they know the Fijian players.
It’s put rugby league on the map here.
“Tonight was unbelievable. It is the start of something real good.” Hayne was rested from Fiji’s 10-0 loss to PNG before playing fiveeighth against the Kangaroos.
It was his first hit out since featuring in the Gold Coast’s round 26 loss to the Roosters. Hayne said “the lungs, the muscles, everything” was hurting following Saturday night’s game. “I want to be composed and be fluid,” Hayne said.
“We had patches of it. If that’s the best team in the world that’s something we can look at. We’ve never had it before.
We’ve never been under that type of heat as a unit.
“You have to realise that we have like seven days together every 12 months.
For us to come out together and look half decent was a huge step. “We’ve only had three training sessions. Everyone plays in a different system at different levels. Everyone plays in the NRL for the Kangaroos.
They all know the simple plays. Their cohesion is a lot better than ours.
“That’s never happened in the history of Fiji for a team of that quality to come over and show why they are No.1.”