Hanno Dirksen signs new two year deal with Ospreys

The international future of Hanno Dirksen remains unknown as the South African born, USA raised back could still end up playing for Wales. The highly talented 21 year old played for the United States of America at the age grade level and was even played for the senior USA Eagles team in a match vs Irish province Munster. He has, howver, never played an official test match nor has he played for the Senior A side of Sevens team of the USA or anybody else. As such, he remains elligible to play for not only the USA but also South Africa and, shortly, Wales. It appears that Wales have him wrapped up however with Rob Howley having said he is monitoring Dirksen. Should he play for Wales he will need to wait until 2014, however, as before then he will not be elligible. He has been in Wales since 2009. 

Should Dirksen play for Wales it would be a huge loss to the USA who have invested huge resources into his development with the clear objective being for him to represent the USA. He is one of only a select group of USA rugby players to have received a USRFF Advanced Player Grant. Dirksen and his family moved to the USA when he was 15 years old. While his international future remains unknown, Dirksen´s professional future is certain as he has signed a new contract to stay on at the Ospreys for two years. The deal will see him become elligible for Wales but the USA may well convince him to play for the Eagles first. Should Dirksen seek to be an international player then his best chance is certainly with the USA as Wales are stacked with options for wing including the young Steven Shingler who this past Tuesday was deemed to the property of Wales and not Scotland. 

Rabo Direct Pro 12 - Semi Finals Wrap

The Celtic-Italian League, known as the Rabo Direct Pro 12 for sponsorship reasons had its Semi Finals played on Friday and Saturday in Wales and Ireland with the two home teams claiming victories to secure their places in the final latter this month. With the Welsh region, the Ospreys´s winning on Friday the Swansea based side is the only thing standing in the way of Leinster picking up a European double of the Rabo Direct Pro 12 and the Heineken Cup.  The Irish province will take on Northern Ireland´s Ulster next weekend in the Heineken Cup Final in London while it will then face the Ospreys in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 Final one week later. In losing it is season over for both Munster and the Glasgow Warriors. It is good news for international rugby with players from both teams to be on international duty next month with more than just Ireland and Scotland being represented.

The Semi Finals were a further indication of the need to take the World Cup to the Americas with Argentina, Canada and the United States of America all having players in action. Of the three countries, Argentina is the highest profile in rugby terms and the country is rapidly developing as the clear choice to host Rugby World Cup 2023. The six home tests this year will be staged in six different cities across Argentina despite the capital and largest city, Buenos Aires not hosting any. Curiously, the Rabo Direct Pro 12 Semi Finals were played in smaller venues than all six of the stadiums that will host Pumas tests in 2012.

Ospreys 45-10 Munster

USA age grade back. Hanno Dirksen played on the right wing, scoring a try for the Ospreys. The Californian born Ronan O´Gara was on the bench for the visitors.

Leinster 19-15 Glasgow Warriors

Former Puma Federico Martín Aramburu started on the right wing for Glasgow, playing his last ever rugby match as he is now officially retired. Canadian international, DTH van der Merwe joined him on the other wing. He is certain to play in the centres for Canada next month. 

Ospreys vs Munster 


Leinster vs Glasgow Warriors

Rabo Direct Pro 12 - Round 22 Wrap

Final match in Glasgow for Puma Federico Martín Aramburu

The final round of the regular season in the Celtic-Italian League was played over the weekend and has confirmed its top four with two Irish sides, a Welsh and a Scottish to compete in the Semi Finals next weekend. Top of the table Leinster will take on the Glasgow Warriors on Sunday while the Ospreys will host Munster one day earlier. The top three was already confirmed and all eyes were on Glasgow to see if the Warriors could claim the final spot or not. It ahs been a big season for Scottish rugby with both sides making the play-off´s of a major competition as Edinburgh were a Semi Finalist in the Heineken Cup. Glasgow´ place in the Semi Final´s raises questions, hoewver, as many teams have not taken the Rabo Direct Pro 12 all that seriously. Edinburgh´ great performance in the European tournament are testiment to this as the same team finished second from bottom in the Rabo Direct Pro 12. The team that eliminated Edinburgh, Ulster, was demolished by Munster, the same side who Ulster had defeated with a great win in Limerick in this seasons Heineken Cup Quarter Finals. Ulster fielded many second string players.

The competition lacks the same pressure as the English and French championships due in large part to the competition having no relegation. Many teams prioritize the Heineken Cup to the extent that the Rabo Direct Pro 12 has, at times, been used for nothing more than training. The competition organizers ought to do something to change this or the competition will never reach the levels that is should. The Semi Finals of the Pro 12 will be played at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea and the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin. Neither stadium has a notably large capacity. In contrast, the much larger Aviva Stadium hosted the Heineken Cup Semi Final between Ulster and Edinburgh last weekend. It attracted a strong crowd yet was an a away match for both sides.  

The competition will change next year with Aironi being replaced by another Italian side. The identity of the new team is yet to be confirmed but it has been speculated that it will be based in Rome. Airno will now be cease to exist. Perhaps a major shake up is needed to attract stronger crowds and for the competion to be the comercia, succes that it really should be. Otherwise either or both of Scottish and Welsh teams may well be better off joining the Aviva Premiership.

Edinburgh 44-21 Benetton Treviso

Treviso had three Argentine players with Ignacio Fernández Rouyet and Franco Sbaraglini startnig and Gonzalo Padro coming on from the bench. Canadian, Roberto Barbieri started in the backrow. Neither of the Scot´s Argentine players, Esteban Lozada and Ulises Gamboa featured. Both players are to now leave Scotland.

Munster 36-8 Ulster

The USA´s Callum Black was on the bench for Ulster. He played the final 25 minutes.  

Newport-Gwent Dragons 18-22 Leinster

No players from the Americas were involved.

Scarlets 29-20 Cardiff Blues

No players from the Americas were involved.

Glasgow Warriors 23-3 Connacht

Argentine winger Federico Martín Aramburu captained Glasgow, playing on the right wing. He is set to retire after this season. He was joiend by Canadian, DTH van der Merwe who played on the other wing and was a try scorer.

Aironi 11-18 Ospreys

Three Argentine players featured for the home team with Gabirel Pizarro and Matías Aguero starting while Luciano Orquera was a 63rd minute replacement. USA Junior international, Hanno Dirksen was a try scorer for the Welsh region. Canada´s Chauncey O´Toole did not feature for the Ospreys.

Final Standings
1 Leinster 81
2 Ospreys 71
3 Munster 67
4 Glasgow 65
5 Scarlets 62
6 Ulster 56
7 Cardiff 50
8 Connacht 37
9 Treviso 36
10 Dragons 36
11 Edinburgh 32
12 Aironi 22

* Semi Finalists

Dragons vs Leinster

Can USA persuade Hanno Dirksen to play for them?

Hanno Dirksen has been on fine
form the Ospreys and become a very
popular player amongst fans for his
committed style of play

During the Six Nations period with Tommy Bowe playing for Ireland and Shane Williams now having taken a step back on his play duties before he fully retires at the end of the season, the South African born American winger Hanno Dirksen has come in and been a revelation for the Ospreys, and with the recent retirement of Kevin Swiryn due to injury he would be firmly in line for his first cap with the Eagles this summer.

But that is if he can be persuaded to play for the USA, he has previously pledged his allegiance to Wales and was expected to qualify for Wales at the end of the season after three years in Wales, and may well have been in with a chance of getting into the squad over the next 12 months on current form.

But according to a report from Welsh newspaper the Western Mail last weekend, he may not be available for Welsh selection so soon. The paper reported that because for the first two years of his stay in Wales, he was staying on a student visa, it means that those first two years don't count towards the three year qualification period. So after this season, Dirksen would have to spend another two seasons with the Ospreys before qualifying to play for Wales.

Dirksen in USA colours
back in 2008

If the report is accurate, then it means that the USA could have another two years to try and persuade him to play for them rather than Wales. If the new USA coach Mike Tolkin could manage to persuade Dirksen to play for the States it would be huge news for American rugby as Dirksen has really proved a very good player this season with potential to get even better.

There have been rumours that the Eagles management and coaching staff have already identified trying to persuade Dirksen to play for them as a key goal. It is also rumoured that if successful, he may play fly half for the USA, a position he played when he was representing the USA at youth level, and also a position where the USA have lacked quality in since Mike Hercus left the side.

Dirksen would be one of the USA's best players, and be unless any drastic misfortune occurs, a guaranteed member of the 2015 World Cup squad he would also be young enough to make 2019 and 2023. Whilst if he opted for Wales, he may well also be a great player for them too, but there would also be a risk of him winning just a handful of caps and then being lost to international rugby for good.

(Video: Hanno Dirksen's phenomenal individual try against Edinburgh in the RaboPro12, one of the best of the season so far)