Ospreys wing Hanno Dirksen reveals his Wales ambitions

[url=Ospreys wing Hanno Dirksen reveals his Wales ambitions]http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18188640[/url]

Ospreys wing Hanno Dirksen has revealed he turned down a chance to play for the USA in the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand in his bid to play for Wales.

Dirksen was born in South Africa but as a teenager moved to the USA with his family, playing age-group rugby there.

"They [the USA] asked me to be in the World Cup [squad]," said Dirksen.

The 21-year-old, who played for the USA in an uncapped game against Munster in 2008, qualfies to play for Wales on residency grounds in 2014.

Dirksen, who recently signed a new two-year deal with the Pro12 finalists, has scored eight tries in 24 games and won the RaboDirect Pro12 try of the season award for his score against Edinburgh in the 15-14 win at Murrayfield last February.

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“"They (the USA) asked me to be in the World Cup but it would have meant I would have been an international player for the Ospreys and they might not have signed me for another two years,”

Hanno Dirksen

The Ospreys wing
"They [the USA] asked me to be in the World Cup but it would have meant I would have been an international player for the Ospreys and they might not have signed me for another two years... you can only have a few per club here," said Dirksen.

"It was an amazing opportunity they gave me but maybe the Ospreys wouldn't have offered me another contract."

Dirksen spent his initial spell in the UK on a student visa, when he played for Swansea RFC and the Ospreys as an amateur, and because of that his residency qualification for Wales started in January 2011.

The wing arrived in Britain to study at Truro College on a scholarship for the 2008-09 academic year before transferring to Neath Port Talbot College in September 2009.

Dirksen hails from Krugersdorp in the Gauteng province of South Africa but after his family moved abroad, he represented the USA at age grade level.

He became the youngest player to represent the Eagles at senior level when he featured in the non-capped match against Munster in Connecticut in August 2008.

Under normal circumstances Dirksen would have qualfied for Wales in September 2012, but he is prepared to wait to stake his claim for the famous red jersey.

"It's only a year and a half away and, hopefully, I can keep playing like I am playing and be in amongst the squad," said Dirksen.

"That would be an amazing achievement for me if they want me. Wales is one of the top teams in the world now.

"The way they are playing is awesome and I watched them against France and to be a part of that would be an amazing achievement

Dirksen has become a key component of the Ospreys side this season and he is relishing the chance to test himself against Leinster in the Pro12 final in Dublin on Sunday.

"Leinster have been European champions three times in four years, so you have to take your hat off to them for achieving that," said Dirksen.

"But it's just another game and we have played them twice already this season and hopefully we can make it three wins."

Dirkson is the youngest player to have ever played for the USA Eagles, however it was in an uncapped match, so he is elegible to play for Wales. That is just not right.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Dirkson is the youngest player to have ever played for the USA Eagles, however it was in an uncapped match, so he is elegible to play for Wales. That is just not right.

+1

On the other hand, if the USA game was capped he probably would have found it a lot harder to get a contract with a decent club side.

Well there's your answer, he did it for the money.

I guess so but is that a bad thing?

“"They (the USA) asked me to be in the World Cup but it would have meant I would have been an international player for the Ospreys and they might not have signed me for another two years,”

That doesn't sound so bad to me, more like he's looking after his own future.

Personally Im not convinced by Dirkson as a player of international quality. Hes an asset to the Ospreys but I dont think he has the ability to step up and be a good international.

On top of that Wales have a lot of good wingers around who are welsh quaalified, Brew, Prydie, Harris, Phillips, Robinson, James, Walker. I would prefer to see these guys developed and for Hanno to continue to represent the Eagles.

And Wales Rugby Union might exploit that by selecting him.

The fact is he learnt his rugby in the USA, as soon as he wants to earn money he looks elsewhere as the USA has no professional structure to speak of, so with the opportnity to earn a living off rugby, there goes loyalty, patriotism etc.

That's why I said the other day, at least try and keep test rugby pure.

But then I am a traditionalist and most people these day will sell their values they are brought up with for a few silver coins.

I hope South Africa never goes that route. If we ever select a player that hasn't developed through our system and setup, I would not be a very proud Springbok supporter.

TycroesOsprey wrote:Personally Im not convinced by Dirkson as a player of international quality. Hes an asset to the Ospreys but I dont think he has the ability to step up and be a good international.

On top of that Wales have a lot of good wingers around who are welsh quaalified, Brew, Prydie, Harris, Phillips, Robinson, James, Walker. I would prefer to see these guys developed and for Hanno to continue to represent the Eagles.

Well tycroes for the sake of the value and pride of the wlesh jumper, I hope Wales have enough wings to keep him out. Nothing against him as a person. But Welsh rugby has a proud history and tradition and the only way not to taint the honour of earning that jumper is to keep it pure.

biltongbek wrote:And Wales Rugby Union might exploit that by selecting him.

The fact is he learnt his rugby in the USA, as soon as he wants to earn money he looks elsewhere as the USA has no professional structure to speak of, so with the opportnity to earn a living off rugby, there goes loyalty, patriotism etc.

That's why I said the other day, at least try and keep test rugby pure.

But then I am a traditionalist and most people these day will sell their values they are brought up with for a few silver coins.

I hope South Africa never goes that route. If we ever select a player that hasn't developed through our system and setup, I would not be a very proud Springbok supporter.

TBH i don't really care if he plays for Wales.
He learnt his rugby in South Africa by the way, he was with the Blues set up when he was younger. His parents moved to the US when he was 16, probably because for employment/better life etc... Now the US developed him yes ,but he doesn't owe them anything as far as i'm concerned.

Obviously it would make things a lot easier if he came out and said he wants to play for SA the land of his birth and parents and no one else, however i can understand why he says (to the media and the Ospreys) he wants to play for Wales.

gowales wrote:I guess so but is that a bad thing?

“"They (the USA) asked me to be in the World Cup but it would have meant I would have been an international player for the Ospreys and they might not have signed me for another two years,”

That doesn't sound so bad to me, more like he's looking after his own future.

That quote is fine, and understandable. He wants to be able to earn a living, so he turned down an opertunity to play in the RWC. However then when he says

Hanno Dirkson wrote:"It's only a year and a half away and, hopefully, I can keep playing like I am playing and be in amongst the squad," said Dirksen.

"That would be an amazing achievement for me if they want me. Wales is one of the top teams in the world now.

"The way they are playing is awesome and I watched them against France and to be a part of that would be an amazing achievement

That is where I lose any respect for him. Once he has cemented his place in the Ospreys shirt that should be when he should be looking at taking up the USA on their offer, if it is still there.

Being serious if I were Scottish I would be raving after all he has put on the full international jersey and taken to the feild for the first choice side (just not capped), yet Shingler only played for the second string side. I will be most ashamed of the WRU when they play him (which they most likely will).

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

gowales wrote:I guess so but is that a bad thing?

“"They (the USA) asked me to be in the World Cup but it would have meant I would have been an international player for the Ospreys and they might not have signed me for another two years,”

That doesn't sound so bad to me, more like he's looking after his own future.

That quote is fine, and understandable. He wants to be able to earn a living, so he turned down an opertunity to play in the RWC. However then when he says

Hanno Dirkson wrote:"It's only a year and a half away and, hopefully, I can keep playing like I am playing and be in amongst the squad," said Dirksen.

"That would be an amazing achievement for me if they want me. Wales is one of the top teams in the world now.

"The way they are playing is awesome and I watched them against France and to be a part of that would be an amazing achievement

That is where I lose any respect for him. Once he has cemented his place in the Ospreys shirt that should be when he should be looking at taking up the USA on their offer, if it is still there.

Being serious if I were Scottish I would be raving after all he has put on the full international jersey and taken to the feild for the first choice side (just not capped), yet Shingler only played for the second string side. I will be most ashamed of the WRU when they play him (which they most likely will).

True but he is as American as he is Welsh! His true country is SA. Why should he feel obliged to take up the offer with the US? maybe he doesn't want to. Tbh i could see why he in particular could be having self identity issues (maybe he just considers himself an international!)

GoWales - he should feel obliged to play for the USA on the grounds he has played for them! We Welsh got so up tight about Shingler, yet are actually talking about capping someone who has played for a first string international side for a different nation. Its not down to the USA developing him or anything. If Prydie had played in uncapped matches and then decided he enjoyed playing for London Wasps and became English would you just accept that? After all that is basically the same thing.

How is he actually qualified for USA? If it's on residency then he lost that when he moved to Wales. If that move was in Jan 2011 he wouldn't be eligible the US in the World Cup. Was one of his parents or grandparents born in the States?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:GoWales - he should feel obliged to play for the USA on the grounds he has played for them! We Welsh got so up tight about Shingler, yet are actually talking about capping someone who has played for a first string international side for a different nation. Its not down to the USA developing him or anything. If Prydie had played in uncapped matches and then decided he enjoyed playing for London Wasps and became English would you just accept that? After all that is basically the same thing.

Yes

ScarletSpiderman wrote:GoWales - he should feel obliged to play for the USA on the grounds he has played for them! We Welsh got so up tight about Shingler, yet are actually talking about capping someone who has played for a first string international side for a different nation. Its not down to the USA developing him or anything. If Prydie had played in uncapped matches and then decided he enjoyed playing for London Wasps and became English would you just accept that? After all that is basically the same thing.

Hmmm... I guess, but it was an uncapped friendly match against Munster A so i don't really care about that (we'll probably never agree on that). The Prydie example ain't great because Prydie is actually Welsh. Dirksen isn't American or Welsh so i guess he has an excuse in my eyes!

Edit: Just to note, i was actually on Shingler's side!

gowales wrote:Edit: Just to note, i was actually on Shingler's side!

I which case we prob won't see eye-to-eye on it.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

gowales wrote:Edit: Just to note, i was actually on Shingler's side!

I which case we prob won't see eye-to-eye on it.

He was only on Shingler's side because it was a chance to have a pop at the Welsh, if it was an other rugby union he wouldn't of cared

So he's obviously very enthusiastic about his rugby and wants to play as high a standard as possible, but he was moved out of his "home" country South Africa at a a very young age, through no fault of his own.

This means he's very unlikely to play for any Super Rugby sides as it's too far for a youngster to go alone and so realistically wouldn't be in with a chance of gaining any offers from SA. So instead he takes the oppertunity to play as high a level rugby as possible, playing age grade international rugby without making any long term commintments, as you would expect from a youngster trying to build a career.

He jumps at the oppertuinity to play for a high quality team when the oppertunity arises, gives his all to the team in every match and has no problem with waiting longer than the required residency to play for a county which by then would have been his home for the majority of his adult life.

I say good on him, it's peoples old fashion views and grudges that are killing this game, not the ambitious youngsters.

munkian wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

gowales wrote:Edit: Just to note, i was actually on Shingler's side!

I which case we prob won't see eye-to-eye on it.

He was only on Shingler's side because it was a chance to have a pop at the Welsh, if it was an other rugby union he wouldn't of cared

Go is welsh isnt he munk rather than a pretender?

munkian wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

gowales wrote:Edit: Just to note, i was actually on Shingler's side!

I which case we prob won't see eye-to-eye on it.

He was only on Shingler's side because it was a chance to have a pop at the Welsh, if it was an other rugby union he wouldn't of cared

You really think i'm not Welsh?

Edit: The reason i was on Shingler's side was because i thought he should be able to represent Scotland, plus he has Scottish blood

CurlyOsp wrote:So he's obviously very enthusiastic about his rugby and wants to play as high a standard as possible, but he was moved out of his "home" country South Africa at a a very young age, through no fault of his own.

This means he's very unlikely to play for any Super Rugby sides as it's too far for a youngster to go alone and so realistically wouldn't be in with a chance of gaining any offers from SA. So instead he takes the oppertunity to play as high a level rugby as possible, playing age grade international rugby without making any long term commintments, as you would expect from a youngster trying to build a career.

He jumps at the oppertuinity to play for a high quality team when the oppertunity arises, gives his all to the team in every match and has no problem with waiting longer than the required residency to play for a county which by then would have been his home for the majority of his adult life.

I say good on him, it's peoples old fashion views and grudges that are killing this game, not the ambitious youngsters.

+1

That's the way i look at it.

[quote="CurlyOsprey]
I say good on him, it's peoples old fashion views and grudges that are killing this game, not the ambitious youngsters.
[/quote]

No grudges, and what you may see as old fashioned, I see as tainting the purity of international rivalry, purity and patriotism

Gowales easy mate.

I'll try

It pains me to say considering young Dirksen's enthusiasm and talent but I'm not sure I could condone Wales picking him. But then there are some controversial elements to his tale that some could choose to see either way. Initially I said no to him representing Wales and the fact that he's got strong ties to the US and has already played for them (albeit non-capped) still rings rotten in my mind but consider it this way:

-Can we really conclude that Dirksen wasn't at all developed in Wales? He joined Swansea RFC as a student and then played his way up the ranks until becoming first-choice for the Ospreys. He didn't learn to play rugby in Wales but his stint could be seen as having undergone the latter part of his development there... couldn't it?

-I've always said residency qualification should be over five years rather than three, sufficient time for one to qualify as a citizen before representing a country. The beeb article says that under normal circumstances he'd have qualified by September this year. Wouldn't that indicate that by 2014 he'd have been in Wales for five years? I'm simply asking out of curiosity, I'm not trying to see things in his favour btw.

That said I get the feeling he'd be a merc no matter what. Come over as a child and you have every right to claim a country as your one and only home. Come over as a young adult and you'll have a hard time convincing people you're not just conveniently switching allegiances for your own interests. Dirksen has spent the majority of his life outside Wales and has played in another team's colours.

Does Dirksen see it more as playing for a side he considers himself a legitimate part of or just for the side he can have more personal success with? That is the question. I'd criticise if it were another nation courting him and as much as my bias urges me towards the contrary I can't go having double standards purely in the interest of my team

Knowsit17 wrote:

That said I get the feeling he'd be a merc no matter what. Come over as a child and you have every right to claim a country as your one and only home. Come over as a young adult and you'll have a hard time convincing people you're not just conveniently switching allegiances for your own interests. Dirksen has spent the majority of his life outside Wales and has played in another team's colours.

That's the point, he was an adult when he moved, his allegiance would go to any country that could offer him a proffesional career

Wiki has Dirksen down as being Swedish-born! Comes from Stockhome as they spell it. Minds in la-la land or is there something he's not telling us?

I just don't agree with this sort of thing, never have and probably never will - It should have been SA or USA for him

Yeh I agree Ruby, he only wants to play for Wales because its the country he's playing his rugby in and because they are on the up and are looking promising at competing with the best nations, which is why he wants to join. That doesn't sit well with me, I'd rather him try his chances for South Africa, he's good enough imo to play international rugby, just not for Wales that's all.

All this talk of purity and patriotism is making me feel a little queasy...

I'm actually flattered a young talented player wanted to play for a Welsh region and work his way up to the Welsh squad.

If he's better than other Welsh players and gets through on merit then why not ?

Its his life, his (short) career. If he works hard, gets the Ospeys into finals then good on him.

It has to be kept pure to some extent, without standards such as this countries would come to mean very little in the extreme. Instead of England vs Wales it could be men vs men or people vs people. There's no point in having countries competing against each other if ultimately you don't have anybody playing for them who's ethnically from those countries. It's in the interest of a greater part of sport that we know.

Look people, why are we going to get so effed up by all this ? At the end of the day we live in a society where we are free to do and choose what we want. If this kid wants to play for Wales, then who are we to tell him otherwise. The way I see it is like this, the rules have been put in place and Dirksen has done nothing to break them, in fact he is being totally professional and executing what is needed to be done to get what he wants. If he wants to TRY and play for Wales then I say let him TRY, the way I look at it is that he has a hell of a lot of work on his hands if he wants to crack open the Welsh wing spot with the current players we have here anyway, but if he is professional and he knuckles down, perhaps in two years time if he is good enough then he will get his chance, just remember the kid has done nothing wrong, he just wants to play for the country where the region/club who gave him his livelihood and chance happens to come from.

He can do what he wants, In my personal capacity I won't respect countries records and performances as much or value them as much as those countries who keeps it pure.

In the grand scheme of things it means nothing to others how I feel, but to me it does

Dowlais, I see it as the thin end of the wedge, in time England will probably be made up of 4 saffers 3 samoans 2 New Zealanders 2 Australians a fijian and 4 fellas from Yorkshire, the same could happen to Wales. I will then not consider that to be Wales playing - I do not want to see a watered down welsh team as it would greatly take away a lot for me. It would be like watching the Lions with 5-6 Wales players - you want them to win but my heart isn't in it like it is when Wales play. I'm happy to differ on this and respect your views.

The way I see it is if a player qualifies on residency and buys completely into that country's culture and way of life, feeling as though they have become part of that nation then I have no issue on them representing that team.

However Dirksen appears to want to play for Wales for

1.To maintain his contract with Ospreys as a WQ player
2.To play at a higher level (no matter the team)

I would be far happier with him becoming WQ and so not taking up an Ospreys NWQ spot, but not representing Wales.

Of course there is no way of testing this, it is all down to the integrity of the player (in the Shingler case, did he really want to represent Scotland because he felt Scottish?), but like many I would find it hard to accept Dirksen as a Welsh international knowing his feelings on it.

To be honest I am not interested whether he plays for Wales.

Is he the boy with the bleached white/blond hair?

RubyGuby wrote:I just don't agree with this sort of thing, never have and probably never will - It should have been SA or USA for him

Is he still qualified for US? (just because they wanted him in the squad doesn't mean he's qualified [Shingler] and also they may have spoken to him about that before he moved his permenant residence to Wales). At the moment he's only qualified for South Africa (who didn't actually develop him as a player)

Knowsit17 wrote:Does Dirksen see it more as playing for a side he considers himself a legitimate part of or just for the side he can have more personal success with? That is the question.

That is the question, and from what Dirksen has said it's clear what the answer is. If Wales had finished bottom of the Six Nations this season after going out at the group stages at the World Cup - and the Eagles had done really well and reached the quarter finals - would he be so keen on opting for Wales? And if the 'Boks came calling, do we seriously think he'd hang up the phone and launch into a chorus of 'Hymns and Arias'?

He doesn't see international rugby any differently to club / regional rugby, he just wants to play for the best Test side he can. Well Test rugby is different, significantly different.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:He doesn't see international rugby any differently to club / regional rugby, he just wants to play for the best Test side he can. Well Test rugby is different, significantly different.

This is basically my problem with a lot of the nationality issues of late. International rugby is about playing for your nation, representing the people and their passion. Maybe if international was unpayed then that would stop the mercs.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:He doesn't see international rugby any differently to club / regional rugby, he just wants to play for the best Test side he can. Well Test rugby is different, significantly different.

This is basically my problem with a lot of the nationality issues of late. International rugby is about playing for your nation, representing the people and their passion. Maybe if international was unpayed then that would stop the mercs.

Spot on mate, someone a few posts up wrote something like, "if he buys into that nations culture etc" what the feck is that all about! - You can't buy into a nations culture and expect to be nationalised. I would like to be Australian instead of welsh but if I moved there and spent the next 30 years enjoying my life there GUESS WHAT, I'd still be fecking welsh. The reason we have heated and animated debate on here is because we're all national rivals - In time we'll all have a mixture of nationalities in all our sides - Who the feck wins then - all of us or none of us. I'd rather Wales be bottom of the pile with welshmen than top with Saffers and Aussies etc

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:He doesn't see international rugby any differently to club / regional rugby, he just wants to play for the best Test side he can. Well Test rugby is different, significantly different.

This is basically my problem with a lot of the nationality issues of late. International rugby is about playing for your nation, representing the people and their passion. Maybe if international was unpayed then that would stop the mercs.

Agree

I think he made his intentions clear before he joined the Ospreys. He wants to play for Wales, which is what he has said, on the other hand none of us knows what his real intentions are, unless some of you have developed some mind reading techniques, but here we all are hang, drawing and quartering him without any evidence otherwise, god, I would hate to be in court with you lot in the jury. Look, it is not as if he played most of his professional career in another country then came over here in his late twenties because he was never going to get into his native national side like Hape or Flutey, he is just being as professional as he can with the path he has chosen from the outset at a relatively young age.

P.s I also agree that playing for the national side should be reward enough and that you should not get payed for playing for your country.

RubyGuby wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:He doesn't see international rugby any differently to club / regional rugby, he just wants to play for the best Test side he can. Well Test rugby is different, significantly different.

This is basically my problem with a lot of the nationality issues of late. International rugby is about playing for your nation, representing the people and their passion. Maybe if international was unpayed then that would stop the mercs.

Spot on mate, someone a few posts up wrote something like, "if he buys into that nations culture etc" what the feck is that all about! - You can't buy into a nations culture and expect to be nationalised. I would like to be Australian instead of welsh but if I moved there and spent the next 30 years enjoying my life there GUESS WHAT, I'd still be fecking welsh. The reason we have heated and animated debate on here is because we're all national rivals - In time we'll all have a mixture of nationalities in all our sides - Who the feck wins then - all of us or none of us. I'd rather Wales be bottom of the pile with welshmen than top with Saffers and Aussies etc

My sentiments exactly guys. Happy to see I don't stand alone in this.

LordDowlais wrote:none of us knows what his real intentions are, unless some of you have developed some mind reading techniques, but here we all are hang, drawing and quartering him without any evidence

"They [the USA] asked me to be in the World Cup but it would have meant I would have been an international player for the Ospreys and they might not have signed me for another two years... you can only have a few per club here," said Dirksen.

"It was an amazing opportunity they gave me but maybe the Ospreys wouldn't have offered me another contract."

That tells us he values playing for the Ospreys (who pay him) over the honour of playing for the Eagles.

"It's only a year and a half away and, hopefully, I can keep playing like I am playing and be in amongst the squad," said Dirksen.

"That would be an amazing achievement for me if they want me. Wales is one of the top teams in the world now.

"The way they are playing is awesome and I watched them against France and to be a part of that would be an amazing achievement."

Now there are two benefits to him of playing for Wales: it doesn't affect adversely his relationship with his employers at the Ospreys (his primary concern, apparently); and Wales are "one of the top teams in the world now".

The evidence is there all right, Dowlais.

Dowlais - its not a presonal thing against him as such. And to be fair with a heap of laws there will always be that exception. I mean there are even times when people would see someone in the dock for murder and think well there was no choice really (say a battered wife killing her husband etc). However you are right we are basing our decisions on what we have to go on. And unless he could convince me ohterwise then my mind is set.

Now there are two benefits to him of playing for Wales: it doesn't affect adversely his relationship with his employers at the Ospreys (his primary concern, apparently); and Wales are "one of the top teams in the world now".

Spot on!