Rufus wore the arm band with the previous incumbent, Teddy Sheringham on the bench, and he says:
"It is a great, great honour - it was a bit of a surprise but I was delighted about it.
"It was on the board, 'capt.' under my name; West Ham is a great club with a great tradition so I am proud."
So - heads or tails?
"I am a 'heads' man - and I won it."
Rufus skippered something of a novice team on Tuesday, with three players making their debuts and Trent McClenahan making his home debut, and Rufus says:
"It was a young side, but everyone did their, jobs and when you have a good set of young players like we have, I think it is easy for the more senior players."
Of Elliot Ward, like Rufus, on the treatment table virtually all last season, he says:
"Elliot is fantastic; a very good player, dominant in the air, and I thought he was outstanding.
"I didn't really have to have a go at him at all because he made my job a lot easier.
"We have been in the gym together; he knows how I feel, and I know he feels, because we have been through the same thing.
"Hopefully we have both come through it now and we can just concentrate on playing football.
"I think he has got everything to be a good pro; he has sorted himself out as he used to be a bit laid back - and that is not being horrible.
"I have been very impressed with him."
As for Trent McClenahan, making his first start against Southend, he adds:
"When Trent came on against Crewe in difficult circumstances he didn't look out of place - and he didn't on Tuesday either, which is the biggest complement I can give him.
"Mark Noble is going to be a very good player as well - there are lots of good youngsters."
James Walker was also a debutant, like Mark, but the difference is he has enjoyed league football - nearly 500 games with Walsall - before.
"The way Jimmy goes on you would think he had been here 10 years - he has settled in quite easily," smiles Rufus.
"It is always tough having two games in a short space of time but I think if we can get the result at home and it takes us into the game against Coventry, we can do well.
"It is a big, big game for the club against Burnley."
As for the overall picture, Rufus adds:
"We need to get up there and be consistent and stay up there - there is no point just getting there for a week and coming out of it.
"When we get there we need to be consistent, get a bit of a run going - and I think this could be the time for that."