Maxime Mbanda
 Mbanda in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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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Mata Maxime Mbanda (born 10 April 1992) is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a flanker, and he currently plays for Zebre.[1][2] Known for his ball carrying and athleticism.[citation needed]
Early career
For 2015–16 Pro12 season, he named as Permit Player for Zebre in Pro 14.[3]
In 2013 Mbanda was named in the Italy Under 20 squad and in 2014 and 2015 he was also named to the Emerging Italy squad.[4][5]
Professional career
After a string of favourable performances, the No. 8, was selected to represent, the Italian national team in a test-match in San Jose, California, during Summer International tests against the United States. Italy won with a result of 24 to 20.[6] Since then Mbanda has been a regular in the Italian national side, featuring in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, in Japan.[7]
Personal life
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.[8] 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.[9]
References
- ^ "Maxime Mbandà".
- ^ "La Terza Linea delle Zebre Rugby Maxime Mbanda' Scalda I Motori". 9 November 2018.
- ^ "Stagione 2015/16".
- ^ "Irb Tblisi Cup 2014, la Rosa Che Affrontera' Il Torneo".
- ^ "Italia Emerging: I 27 Azzurri per la Tblisi Cup".
- ^ Palmer, Mark. "Maxime Mbanda offers sense of hope to Italy" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ "Italrugby, Conor O'shea Annuncia I 31 Giocatori Convocati per Il Mondiale".
- ^ 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.
External links
- 1993 births
- Living people
- Italian rugby union players
- Italy international rugby union players
- Rugby union flankers
- Rugby Calvisano players
- Zebre Parma players
- Sportspeople from Rome
- Italian people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent
- Italian sportspeople of African descent
- European sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent
- Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic