Hanco Germishuys was born on August 24, 1996 in South Africa. There, he began playing rugby at a young age and attended school in Newton. Germishuys relocated to the United States with his father in 2004 and attended Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Germishuys played club rugby for West Omaha and was selected to a Nebraska All-Star team. In late 2014, Germishuys joined the Gloucester Academy, scoring a try in his second appearance for the U18 squad. In June 2015, Germishuys also spent four weeks with the Sharks Academy. Germishuys joined the Glendale Raptors midway through the 2015 season, winning that season's Pacific Rugby Premiership championship.
Club career
Denver Stampede
Ahead of PRO Rugby's inaugural season in 2016, it was announced that Germishuys would join the Denver Stampede. Germishuys made his debut with the Stampede on May 15, 2016, starting at flanker and scoring two tries, in Denver's 35–13 victory over Sacramento. Germishuys scored six total tries for the Stampede across nine total appearances for the club.
Prior to the inaugural Major League Rugby season in 2018, it was announced that Germishuys would be joining the Austin Elite in the newly-formed league. Germishuys made his debut for the Elite in the team's first regular season match on April 21, 2018, starting at flanker and scoring a try, in a 41–26 defeat to Glendale. Over just five appearances for the Elite during the season, Germishuys scored six total tries, putting him in a tie for tenth place among league leaders in individual scoring and a tie for second place among league leaders in individual tries scored. At season's end, Germishuys was named to the All-MLR First Team at flanker.
In March 2014, it was announced that Germishuys had been selected to the roster of the United States men's national under-20 team for the 2014 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy. At the time, Germishuys and teammate Ben Cima were so young that they required waivers in order to be allowed to play in the tournament. Germishuys also represented the Junior All-Americans in qualifying matches for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy against Canada. Germishuys played in both matches of the two-legged tie, with the Junior All-Americans losing on an aggregate score of 65–29. Germishuys played for the Junior All-Americans for a third consecutive year in 2016, leading the team as captain at the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy. Germishuys led the team with eight total tries, including at least one in each of the Junior All-American's four matches, and was named Player of the Tournament.
Germishuys made his debut for the United States men's national team on February 27, 2016, coming on as a substitute, in the Eagles' 24–23 defeat to Brazil in the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship. On February 10, 2018, against Canada in a 29–10 victory in the 2018 Americas Rugby Championship, Germishuys made his first start at flanker and scored his first try for the Eagles. Since his debut in 2016, he has become a regular in the Eagles starting lineup and is known for his strength with the ball in hand and his strong tackling.
