Maxime Mbanda
Mata Maxime Mbanda (born 10 April 1993) is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a flanker, and he currently plays for Zebre. Known for his smooth ball carrying and athleticism.
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| Full name | Mata Maxime Mbanda | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 10 April 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 102 kg (16 st 1 lb; 225 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography
After a chain of favourable performances, the No. 8 was selected to represent, for the first time, the Italian national team to a test-match in San Jose, California, in Summer International tests. Italy won with a result of 24 to 20.[1] Since then Mbanda has been a regular in the Italian national side. In particular featuring in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, in Japan.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Mbanda volunteered for the Yellow Cross, a humanitarian organization in Parma that transports food and medicine for the elderly. [2] On 3 June 2020 the President of Italy Sergio Mattarella named Mbanda a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his services as a volunteer ambulance driver.[3]
References
- Palmer, Mark. "Maxime Mbanda offers sense of hope to Italy" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- Baber, Andy (24 March 2020). "Italy flanker Mbanda on frontline in Covid-19 fight". sixnationsrugby.com. Six Nations Rugby. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- "Mbanda nominato cavaliere della Repubblica dal presidente Mattarella" [Mbanda awarded the knighthood by President Mattarella]. federugby.it (in Italian). Italian Rugby Federation. 3 June 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.