Latest news with #internationalDebut
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Masibaka eyes 'full-circle moment' for Scotland against Fiji
Alex Masibaka says facing Fiji in a Scotland jersey this summer would represent "a full circle moment" as he aims to make his debut on the international 23-year-old back-rower qualifies for the Scots through his Paisley-born mother, but could just as easily be in the white Fijian jersey given his father's heritage."I'm very excited," said Masibaka, ahead of Scotland's trip to Suva in the middle of two matches in New Zealand."My mother's, she's Scottish and my dad's Fijian, so it'll be a full circle moment for me and my family."We're trying to get my parents over and I've got family in Fiji as well who will try to come down for that Fiji game and yeah, it's going to be huge."Masibaka plays for French side Montpellier but spent last season on loan at Pro D2 side Soyaux-Angouleme and was a shock call-up to the Scotland squad during the Six he did not manage any game time, the number eight admitted that even being called into the wider squad by Gregor Townsend came as something of a surprise."I was a bit shocked at first, to be honest," he said. "I was just sitting on the couch talking to my mum on the phone while she was at work and just got the call and instantly just froze."I was just like, 'wow, this is real'. But I had to quickly shape up and come prepared and it's everything I dreamed of."I felt like a new kid. Honestly, I was a bit nervous. I know there's some superstars in here and the first person I met was Finn Russell."I was very nervous talking to him, but he was just very humble and very good to talk to."I'm just trying to learn off the other boys and try to be a sponge and take as much as I can from the team and try to bring it into the next training session. That's my focus at the moment."
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Foxes defender Coulibaly makes Mali debut
Leicester City defender Woyo Coulibaly made his international debut for Mali during their 1-0 friendly defeat by DR Congo on full-back Coulibaly, 26, - signed by the Foxes from Parma for a reported £3m in January - was called up for the African nation for the first time in May, having switched nationalities from was also a first for Hamza Choudhury, who scored his maiden goal for Bangladesh during their 2-0 victory over Bhutan on Foxes academy graduate, 27, nodded in opener in the sixth minute on just his second appearance for the Bengal Tigers.
