USA captaincy marks remarkable milestone in Marno Redelinghuys' rugby journey

When Marno Redelinghuys first arrived in the USA almost seven years ago, the idea of playing Test rugby seemed a long way off. Captaining a side? Improbable.

But this weekend, the 33-year-old will lead the USA Men against an Australia XV at New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Redelinghuys made his Test debut in July 2025 against Belgium. Since then, he has become a vital cog in Scott Lawrence’s forward pack, repaying the faith shown in him by the coach who initially brought him to Rugby ATL for the 2020 Major League Rugby season.

“It was a really proud and special moment for me,” Redelinghuys told RugbyPass. “To be given the opportunity to captain is something I don’t take lightly. It’s a huge honour. It means a lot to know the coaches and the group have that trust in me.

“I’m really excited about it, but more than anything I see it as a responsibility to lead the boys, represent the jersey and make sure we can put in a performance that everyone can be proud of.”

Since his arrival at Rugby ATL ahead of the 2020 MLR season, Redelinghuys has been a staple of the league. After two seasons in Atlanta, he moved to the Houston SaberCats to play under Heyneke Meyer and spent four years with the Texas club before joining the Seattle Seawolves for the 2026 season.

“When I first came over to the States seven years ago, I was just looking for an opportunity to play rugby, challenge myself and see where the game could take me,” Redelinghuys said. “I don’t think I could have imagined back then that I’d one day be in a position to captain a USA side.

“Coming over as a foreign player, you never really know how things are going to work out. You come in, you work hard, you try to earn the respect of your teammates, and you take things one step at a time.

“Looking back now, it’s pretty special to see how far the journey has taken me. I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in the US, the people I’ve met along the way, and the teammates and coaches who have helped me get to this point.”

Now, his first assignment as captain comes with the added challenge of helping the Eagles respond to last weekend’s heavy defeat.

Redelinghuys starts at blindside flanker against the Australia XV on Friday night and is joined in the back row by Paddy Ryan and Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz.

Lawrence has made a number of changes following the team’s 61-12 loss last time out. These include an entirely new front row comprising Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Kaleb Geiger and Mason Pedersen. Sam Golla starts in the second row alongside Nathan Den Hoedt.

Changes continue at half-back, where Ruben de Haas starts at scrum-half and partners Luke Carty. Cassh Maluia and Wayne van der Bank form the centre partnership, while Joe Mano, Conner Mooneyham and Davy Coetzer comprise the back three.

Upon announcing his squad for the fixture, USA head coach Scott Lawrence reiterated that his objective in 2026 was “prioritising long-term development over short-term results”, explaining how the side have attempted to replicate the demands of a Rugby World Cup.

Friday night’s fixture at Sports Illustrated Stadium will be the USA’s last before travelling to Europe for the second half of the Nations Cup.

The Americans head into fixtures against Hong Kong China, Romania and Georgia in contention to win their pool after securing victories over Portugal, Zimbabwe and Spain in July.

Ahead of the USA Men’s back-to-back fixtures against an Australia XV on home soil, the Eagles finished fourth at the Pacific Nations Cup, concluding the tournament with a 19-16 loss to Canada in Tokyo.

Before a number of the team’s European-based stars rejoin the side, the USA want to leave their home supporters on a high, particularly after last weekend’s 61-12 loss to the same opposition at Nashville’s Geodis Park.

“The result last week wasn’t what we wanted, and there’s disappointment when you don’t get the result you’ve worked so hard for,” Redelinghuys said.

“There’s a lot of belief in this group, and the boys are really motivated to put things right. We know it’s going to be another big challenge on Friday, but we’re focused on ourselves, on improving the things we can control, and on putting in a performance that reflects the standards we want to set as a team.”