Maxime Mbanda

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. Known for his ball carrying and athleticism.
Biography.
For 2015–16 Pro12 season, he named as "Permit Player" for Zebre in Pro 14.
In 2013 Mbanda was named in the Italy Under 20 squad and in 2014 and 2015 he was also named in the Emerging Italy squad.
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. 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. 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.