The important thing to remember about this month's games between Australia XV and the USA is what is a "capture game" and what is not.
A "capture game" is an official game between the A-sides of the two countries. Last week in Nashville was a capture game. That means if you play in that game and you haven't already been capped, then you have now been captured as a player for that country.
So Oscar Lennon has been captured by the USA when he could also play for Wales.
This week's game at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ, is not a capture game. As a result, that opens the chance for USA Head Coach Scott Lawrence to field players who might not be ready to be capped.
Witness David Coetzer starting at fullback. Coetzer will acheive residency eligibility for the USA in January. But because this isn't a capture match, he can play. Two other players in the gameday 23 are in a similar situation—technically not eligible for the Eagles, but eligible for this game because it's not double-pinky-swear official.
Those would be Free Jacks center Wayne van der Bank, who gets the start, and Seattle Seawolves back Dan Kriel.
Those aren't the only changes from last week. Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Kaleb Geiger, and Mason Pedersen form a completely changed front row. Sam Golla starts at lock along with regular Nathan den Hoedt, and Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz comes in at No. 8 while Marno Redelinghuys gets the start and the captaincy. Paddy Ryan starts again.
Its a different 9-10 combo, with veterans Ruben De Haas and Luke Carty. But the midfield is completely different, with Cassh Maluia and van der Bank. The deep three is also different from last week, with Joe Mano, who was so electric this past summer, and the always exciting Conner Mooneyham flanking Coetzer.
This is a good chance for these players to get game time. But also, the USA has been dealing with injuries on top of players not being available because they are playing pro overseas. That's important to remember—this is a strong Australia XV but not their test side, but this is also a USA team missing several options including players who picked up injuries last week.
“It is widely accepted among international high-performance experts that developing an international-level player generally takes five to seven years of full-time professional rugby with meaningful minutes week in and week out," said Lawrence. "It is also well established that Nations Cup teams have historically struggled to build depth beyond their starting XV. In previous years, the Eagles have often been one injury, one unavailable player, or one individual’s performance away from being unable to perform when it matters most.
“In 2026, we’ve set out to address that challenge by prioritizing long-term development over short-term results during this two-to-three-month block. We’ve replicated the demands of a Rugby World Cup schedule, including the challenges of travel and competition, while giving more players meaningful opportunities to develop through international competition ahead of the 2027 domestic professional season and the World Cup.
“Every player selected for the USA XV this weekend has earned the opportunity to represent this team. These experiences strengthen both the individual and the team. The more players we prepare to perform at this level, the more competitive, resilient, and adaptable we become as we build toward 2027 and 2031.”
Following Friday's contest in Harrison, the Men's Eagles will depart for Europe, resuming their 2026 Nations Cup campaign with three weeks of Test matches starting with Hong Kong in France on November 7.
All matches will be broadcast on Paramount+.
Tickets for Friday’s double header are on sale now at https://eagles.rugby/tickets
