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49ers Rookies Deliver Strong NFL Debuts in Houston

In his first NFL game, Jarryd Hayne led all rushers with 63 yards, returned a kickoff 33 yards from the back of the end zone and recorded two exciting punt returns for a total of 24 yards.

Not bad for someone who less than a year ago was playing an entirely different sport on another continent.

“I felt a huge weight lifted,” Hayne said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself. I wanted to go out there and fit in.

“I didn’t want to go out there and look like a rugby player.