Dan Kriel, twin brother of Springbok centre Jesse, is set to move a step closer to his international ambition this weekend when he features for the USA XV in their second clash against Australia A in New Jersey, in a fixture that again underscores the United States’ reliance on South African-honed experience.

Kriel, a former Junior Springbok, has been named among the replacements, while flank Marno Redelinghuys will captain the side. Former Junior Boks flyhalf David Coetzer starts at fullback, Wayne van der Bank lines up in the midfield and Ruben de Haas takes the No 9 jersey, giving the USA XV a strong spine of players developed in South Africa’s professional system.

Response required after heavy Nashville defeat

The USA XV enter the New Jersey match under pressure to respond, having suffered a 61-12 defeat to Australia A in Nashville the previous weekend. Australia A scored 35 unanswered points in the second half of that encounter, exposing defensive frailties and game-management issues that the hosts will be intent on addressing.

Beyond immediate pride, this second fixture forms part of a broader effort by USA Rugby to deepen its player pool and sharpen high-performance standards ahead of future international windows and qualification campaigns. The use of an “A” team structure mirrors pathways used by established nations to bridge the gap between domestic competitions and full Test level under the global framework overseen by World Rugby.

Redelinghuys handed captaincy in sweeping reshuffle

Redelinghuys, who previously represented Western Province and the Stormers in 2018 and 2019, takes over the captaincy from Jason Damm, who has been left out of the matchday 23. Head coach Scott Lawrence has responded to the Nashville defeat by making significant changes to his starting side, using this second meeting with Australia A to test combinations and leadership profiles under pressure.

The captaincy for Redelinghuys underlines the growing influence of South African forwards within the American setup. His experience in the physically demanding environments of South African domestic rugby offers the USA XV an on-field decision-maker accustomed to high-intensity collisions and set-piece battles-key areas against a well-drilled Australian second-string selection.

Kriel’s USA ambition shaped by residency route

Kriel’s selection on the bench continues a journey that began in South Africa’s professional ranks. Before moving to the United States, he represented the Bulls, Stormers, Western Province and Lions, building a résumé across Super Rugby and domestic competitions.

He now plies his trade for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby, part of a growing group of southern hemisphere exports helping to raise the standard of the American club game. His inclusion in the USA XV is enabled by World Rugby’s residency rule, which allows players to qualify for a new national team after meeting specified residence criteria, a mechanism that has been central to squad-building strategies in several emerging and established unions.

Reflecting on that trajectory earlier this year, Kriel admitted that a USA opportunity had not been part of his original career plan.

“It was never the plan to play for America or something I thought about,” Kriel said in June.

“When we came over, I only signed a three-year contract and it never occurred to me that one day I would get the opportunity to possibly play Test rugby for America and maybe go to a World Cup.

“America has given so much to me and my family and I would love to represent this country in the 2027 World Cup.

“It would be an incredible honour for me and my family to represent the red, white and blue on an international stage and inspire the younger American rugby generation.”

His involvement against Australia A is therefore more than a routine selection: strong performances at this level can move him closer to full Eagles honours and the global stage he has identified as a long-term target.

South African axis at the heart of USA XV selection

The New Jersey matchday group again highlights how USA Rugby is blending homegrown talent with players shaped in other high-performance systems. For this fixture, the USA XV’s influence from South African development pathways is particularly pronounced:

• Dan Kriel – former Junior Springbok and alumnus of the Bulls, Stormers, Western Province and Lions, now with the Seattle Seawolves.
• Marno Redelinghuys – captain for this match, previously with Western Province and the Stormers in 2018 and 2019.
• David Coetzer – ex-Junior Boks flyhalf, starting at fullback.
• Wayne van der Bank – starting in the midfield.
• Ruben de Haas – starting at scrumhalf.

For USA Rugby, fixtures against Australia A provide a rare opportunity to expose such players to sustained Tier 1-calibre opposition outside of formal Test windows. For the individuals involved, it is a chance to reinforce their cases for future national selection and to influence how the union balances domestic development with the use of residency-qualified talent in the build-up to future World Cup cycles.

Matchday 23: key selections for USA XV

The USA XV to face Australia A in New Jersey is as follows:

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 (c), 5 Sam Golla, 4 Nathan Den Hoedt, 3 Mason Pedersen, 2 Kaleb Geiger, 1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth.
Bench: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Fakaosifolau Pifeleti, 18 Tonga Kofe, 19 Vili Helu, 20 Benjamin Bonasso, 21 Oscar Lennon, 22 Michael Baska, 23 Dan Kriel.

This group is tasked with delivering a more resilient performance than in Nashville, tightening the defensive line and providing clearer attacking shape while giving coaches a clearer view of which combinations can progress towards full international duty.

Photo: @usaeagles/Instagram