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Ospreys confirm 16 senior squad members that have re-signed in 2019

By Online Editors
Ospreys player Hanno Dirksen (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ospreys Rugby have confirmed that Hanno Dirksen has signed a new two-year deal with the region, making him the 16th member of the senior squad to re-sign in 2019.

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Dirksen has been in the region for 10 years, arriving from his hometown of Krugersdorp in South Africa as an 18-year old in the summer of 2009, via Tennessee, USA, and Truro, Cornwall.

The winger’s tally of 38 tries from 136 games is the fourth highest in Ospreys history, bettered only by Rhys Webb (39), Dan Evans (44) and Shane Williams (57), having moved ahead of Tommy Bowe and Nikki Walker in the pecking order during 2018/19.

Dirksen has enjoyed a busy off-season, with his wife Jenny giving birth to their second daughter, but having put pen to paper on his new deal, the 28-year old winger reflected on his status as a senior player having been at the Ospreys for a decade.

“It’s crazy how quick the time goes” said Dirksen.

“It’s nice to be here for another pre-season, another couple of years. There’s a new batch of boys coming in who are the same age I was when I got here, it’s nice to see fresh faces. I hope that I can help them develop, in the way that players like Shane, Tommy or Richard Fussell helped me when I was a youngster.

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“I have a family here now and it’s nice to be settled in Swansea so I don’t want to be playing rugby anywhere else. Looking ahead, it’s important we kick-off the season like we finished off, get a good couple of wins in before the boys come back from the World Cup. Hopefully we can have a good season and get involved in the knockouts of both competitions. Those are the games we want to be involved in.”

Dirksen made his Ospreys debut in a LV= Cup defeat to Bath in November 2009. His only other appearance that season, against Leeds at the Liberty Stadium, saw him mark his first start with his first try.

Armed with his first pro contract, signed at the start of 2011, Dirksen established himself in the senior squad during 2011/12, scoring eight tries in 25 games as he played a big part in the region’s fourth league title success.

Probably the best remembered moment of his career came in that season’s semi-final win, a stunning score versus Munster at the Liberty, before he started in the famous win over Leinster in the final.

He completed his century of Ospreys appearances against Connacht at the Liberty Stadium in January 2017, while his 100th Celtic League game was in April this year against Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, where his father Hansie, a South Africa U21 cap, played during the eighties.

Ospreys Head Coach, Allen Clarke, welcomed the re-signing of Dirksen, highlighting the impact he made last season:

“I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to secure Hanno on a new deal.

“I’ve a lot of respect for what Hanno has come through following a tough time with injury a few years ago. For me, he was one of our standout performers across the whole of last season.

“Because of his level of consistency he really earned the right to be selected in key matches and if you look at our big run of games, our last five, he was integral, scoring tries and carrying ball.

“He is a tremendous character within the squad and will continue to be a huge asset for us over the coming seasons.”

Senior players to have re-signed this year are:

Lloyd Ashley, Cory Allen, Matthew Aubrey, Dan Evans, Luke Morgan, Scott Otten, Ifan Phillips, Luke Price, Nicky Smith and Gareth Thomas

First professional contracts:

Will Griffiths, Dewi Lake, Harri Morgan, Morgan Morris and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler

New Recruits:

Gareth Anscombe, Gareth Evans and Carl Hogg (Forwards Coach)

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Adrian 34 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
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Trevor 3 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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Bull Shark 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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