Five Saffas in USA XV as Redelinghuys takes over captaincy
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Five South Africans will feature for the USA XV against Australia A in New Jersey, with Marno Redelinghuys handed the captaincy for the second clash at New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Redelinghuys leads a revamped USA XV as coach Scott Lawrence makes sweeping changes following last weekend’s 61-12 defeat to Australia A in Nashville.
Redelinghuys will captain the side, while fellow South Africans Ruben De Haas, David Coetzer, Wayne van der Bank and Dan Kriel are also named in the match 23.
Born in Klerksdorp, Redelinghuys developed through South African rugby pathways, playing for the Leopards and Western Province before moving to Major League Rugby. After stints with Rugby ATL and the Houston SaberCats, where he helped the team reach a Championship Final, he joined the Seattle Seawolves in 2026. He has also represented the USA Eagles internationally.
De Haas returns to the No.9 jersey after coming off the bench in the opening encounter, swapping places with Wales-raised Oscar Lennon.
De Haas progressed through the USA age-grade system, representing the High School All-Americans in sevens and XVs from 2015 to 2017 and the Under-20s from 2016 to 2018. He made his Eagles debut against Chile in February 2018 before signing his first professional contract with the Free State Cheetahs later that year.
He has since become a regular at scrumhalf for the USA national team, including at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Coetzer, who hails from Plettenberg Bay, starts at fullback, while Van der Bank lines up at centre in a new midfield combination alongside former New England Patriots player Cassh Maluia.
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Coetzer began playing rugby at the age of seven and attended Selborne College in East London, where he played flyhalf. He progressed through the Blue Bulls system, winning a national U21 title in 2020, and represented South Africa at the World Rugby U20 Championship in 2018 and 2019.
In 2026, he entered USA Rugby’s eligibility and developmental pathway, coming off the bench in a 25-24 victory over an Argentina XV in August before being named in the USA squad to face Australia A.
Van der Bank, meanwhile, came through the Golden Lions academy system and made his first-team debut for the Lions in the Currie Cup in 2019. He subsequently joined the Pumas before moving to New England in 2022.
Kriel, brother of Springbok Jesse and a former Lions player, will warm the bench.
The USA XV will be looking to respond after Australia A, coached by Wallabies great Stephen Larkham, ran in a commanding 61-12 victory last weekend. Michael Baska and Mark O’Keeffe scored first-half tries for the Americans, but they conceded 35 unanswered points after the break.
USA Eagles captain Jason Damm drops out of the matchday 23, with Redelinghuys taking over leadership ahead of next month’s World Rugby Nations Cup Tests.
Lawrence has made changes across the team, with Luke Carty returning at flyhalf and Chris Hilsenbeck omitted from the matchday squad. Both wings have also been changed, with Joe Mano and Conner Mooneyham coming into the starting line-up.
USA XV: 15 David Coetzer, 14 Conner Mooneyham, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 12 Cassh Maluia, 11 Joe Mano, 10 Luke Carty, 9 Ruben De Haas, 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, 7 Paddy Ryan, 6 Marno Redelinghuys (captain), 5 Sam Golla, 4 Nathan Den Hoedt, 3 Mason Pedersen, 2 Kaleb Geiger, 1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth
Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Fakaoisafolio Pifeleti, 18 Tonga Kofe, 19 Vili Helu, 20 Benjamin Bonasso, 21 Oscar Lennon, 22 Michael Baska, 23 Dan Kriel.
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