Many a suitor: Jarryd Hayne is in hot demand. Credit:Getty Images Hayne, who on Thursday became a global ambassador for Fiji Airways, found himself wishing for the years needed to make the permanent transition, living with the knowledge he would never reach the heights he set for himself had he left the NRL earlier. "I just think with Chip's playbook, it's such an intense playbook that it would just take too much time," Hayne told Fairfax Media. "Me not having that college history, I think a lot of the guys adapt to it a lot faster because they've had the college playbooks at thought. I was always behind the nine ball just learning in general. The guys playing in college were just that far ahead. "That was the biggest thing, just knowing and wishing I had a couple of more years up my sleeve. If I had a couple more years up my sleeve 100 per cent I know what player I could have been. But time is of the essence and now I'm on to my next adventure and it's brought me to Fiji."

Hayne greets fans at Pirtek Stadium before the round one match in March between the Eels and Broncos. Credit:Mark Kolbe It's only fitting Fiji Airways launch its inaugural flight from Fiji to San Francisco with the 'Hayne Plane' now as its ambassador given the impact the former Parramatta fullback had during his brief stint in the bay area. Hayne, who is in camp with his new teammates in Fiji before the Olympics squad is named next month, has been reflecting on his eight games in the NFL and admits only self doubt cost him of a chance of a longer career in the sport. Passion for new experiences: Hayne after a pre-season game for the San Francisco 49ers. Credit:AP "It was an extremely hard decision leaving the NRL and something that if I was confident I would have made earlier, but I just wasn't," Hayne said.

"It was extremely tough. I was watching some stuff last night on YouTube of Adrian Peterson (Minnesota running back) highlights and I look back at it going 'damn, I was out on the same field as he was on'. "Those things, you look at that and you think about that. But you make sacrifices in life and opportunities don't come up very often you just have to enjoy it and embrace the situation." Hayne's appetite for success in the NFL never wavered. Despite suggestions he was told he wouldn't make it, he remained in the 49ers' plans having been included in the 90-man squad for preseason just days before announcing that he would leave the club to play rugby sevens for Fiji. "It wasn't that I didn't want it anymore. I still wanted it," Hayne said.

"I would have loved to have played both. I would love to have played three sports or four sports. I would love to play league, union, sevens, NFL - I would have loved to play all four but you just can't do it. "It was hard at the 49ers. With the new coaching staff and the guys that really put the study and that in - it all changed. It was tough, but I worked hard and made the 90-man squad. That meant I'll be back in preseason, but time isn't on my side. I had to make a decision and being in Fiji was it."