THE Australian Rugby Union claims cross-code star Jarryd Hayne reached out to them for a meeting in Sydney this week, not the other way around.

But the ARU boss Bill Pulver says he will table a “compelling offer” to Hayne in an attempt to lure him.

Hayne was spotted leaving the ARU’s St Leonards headquarters on Wednesday following a meeting with the rugby heavies.

The former NRL star was coy about the meeting but ARU boss Bill Pulver spoke to Fox Sports News on Thursday.

He says Hayne instigated the meeting.

“He did,” Pulver said when asked which party organised the sit-down.

Hayne is on the sporting market following a short and unsuccessful dabble in rugby sevens.

Hayne represented Fiji at the London Sevens but barely made it onto the paddock, and didn’t make the cut for the nation’s Olympics squad.

After being left out of the Games team Hayne threw in the towel and his services are now the centre of a bidding war.

Jarryd Hayne leaving ARU headquarters on Wednesday. Source: News Corp Australia

Australian rugby league is believed to be leading the race as several NRL clubs pursue his prized signature.

But his meeting with the ARU on Wednesday has muddied the waters.

Hayne will forever be ineligible to represent Australia in rugby as he has already pledged allegiance to Fiji.

But with rugby league’s loose international laws he could return to the game and represent both NSW and Australia without a worry.

It doesn’t mean, however, that Puler is prepared to give up the fight.

“We did meet with him and obviously if he’s interested in playing rugby we’re very interested in having him,” Pulver said.

“I don’t know whether he will end up joining rugby, but we’ve got a pretty compelling offer for him.

“I think it would be terrific to have him. He’s a terrific young man, point one.

“He’s an extraordinary athlete and I think he’d probably bring a lot of people to Super Rugby games.

Jarryd Hayne of the San Francisco 49ers. Source: Getty Images

“See from an ARU perspective he can’t play for the Wallabies, his four minutes of fame with the Fijian Sevens team basically rules him out of being capped for Australia.

“But he’d be a terrific part of our sport if he wanted to play.

“If he was to come to rugby he’d be lining up for the Super Rugby season next year, so within the next couples of months they’d have to make a final call on it.”

Hayne is also believed to have met with NRL club Parramatta.

His return to Australia follows one full season in America’s NFL followed by his jaunt in sevens.

Former Wallaby Phil Waugh, who played 136 matches for the Waratahs and is the club’s most capped captain, says Hayne would need to commit fully to the 15-a-side code if he decided to sign with ARU.

“One thing about Sonny Bill Williams, he always delivers. Wherever he goes, he delivers. Jarryd Hayne, I think is still in question,” Waugh told Fox Sports News.

“The reason he’s back here is because he didn’t cut it in the NFL.

“If he comes, he needs to perform.”

Earlier this month, Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson expressed his interest in signing Hayne.

The Waratahs are desperate to add a high profile back to their roster after losing versatile playmaker Kurtley Beale to the Aviva Premiership in England and Gibson sees Hayne as an ideal replacement.

“He’s obviously a talented player, he’s one hell of a player and depending on the salary cap I think we’d be definitely interested,” Gibson said.

“Most of the top 20 or 30 players — I don’t know the absolute numbers — but certainly the players are topped up to some degree so 100 per cent (a Super Rugby club could afford him).

“His commercial value, I’m sure the ARU would be keen to maximise that and get the best players playing our code.”