In more normal times Maxime Mbanda might have been lining up against England at the Stadio Olimpico in the final round of the Six Nations Championship a week ago. These, of course, are far from normal times and rugby has temporarily disappeared from the radar of the Italy flanker.

He is working on the frontline of his country's desperate fight against Covid-19 as an ambulance driver, doing what he can to help turn the tide of death in his country.

Mbanda has no medical training but he has physical strength and resilience and he has decided to use it where it is most needed.

"I started eight days ago, without a day's break and with shifts of 12 or 13 hours. But faced with what I see in the infectious disease rooms, I tell myself that I can't be tired," he said. "Fear is normal. But there are little things that can be done safely that would give those on the front lines a half-hour or an hour's rest. For them, an hour is crucial. As long as I'm strong, I'll keep going. I'm here and I'm staying here.”

Mbanda – whose Congolese father is a surgeon in Milan – felt unable to stand idly by as Italy's health care system was overwhelmed by the virus. Parma, where Mbanda plays his club rugby for Zebre, is one of the worst-hit areas.