'No idea how good he is and how much better he can still become.' Meet Alexander Masibaka.

Today at 02:43 AM

Be it tireless work or a stroke of good fortune, someone from Scotland’s scouting department has earned their supper.

You would be hard pressed to find a journalist who could have predicted that Perth (Australia) born number eight Alexander Masibaka, currently plying his trade with Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente of the Pro D2 (the French second division), would be on the receiving end of a call from Gregor Townsend.

And yet, a couple of injuries, phenomenal club performances and a Paisley born mother later, the former Western Force back-rower now has as good an opportunity as any to stake a claim as a permanent fixture in a Scotland squad with increasingly impressive depth.

As it stands, the shirt is shared between heavyweights Jack Dempsey and Matt Fagerson as understudy Josh Bayliss of Bath was ruled out. Edinburgh’s Ben Muncaster looked set to add competition to the tail-end of the scrum but for an injury of his own.

His teammate and purported replacement for the role, Magnus Bradbury, has never quite convinced Townsend but did his chances few favours by receiving a red card against the Black Lions in the Challenge Cup, all but guaranteeing he would not be included for the opening rounds.

Scotland’s depth at number eight is arguably as strong as it has ever been but the unforeseen absences mean that a ray of light of light has broken through a usually dense canopy for new talent to grow.

As his coach at Angoulême will attest, there are few candidates more suited to the role.

Head coach Alexandre Ruiz has a fascinating story of his own. A once international referee, Ruiz made the full-time switch to coaching four years ago to lead Montpellier’s defence where he saw a young Masibaka take his first steps in French rugby after arriving from the Western Force in Australia.

In 2023, Ruiz earned himself the top job in ‘the balcony of France’s southwest’, overlooking the Charente and just as clearly as he could see the famous river, so too could he picture his first target as he made a beeline for a loan deal.

“I knew he wasn’t going to be a JIFF* player (French rugby has a limit on players who have not spent three years in a domestic academy or been in the league for 5 years before 23 years old) for Montpellier, he was the first choice in my recruitment when I took over”, he says to me as we discuss Alexander’s early days.

“He is a player who is very strong in contact, who looks for physicality.”

Ruiz was also drawn to his fundamentals and what he describes as “an incredible technical ease” and an “in-game intelligence that not many players in the division have.”

You’ll find no disagreement from teammate and 78 cap England international Jonny May who told me “his super strength is carrying the ball and breaking tackles.”

The marriage of power and pace with which he shrugged off defenders on his way to scoring two tries in just seven minutes against US Dax just a couple of weekends ago will confirm that to those looking for visual confirmation.

Scotland’s pack can more than hold its own but one of the most frustrating drawbacks is its lack of line-piercing ability, which is why Duhan van der Merwe and Sione Tuipulotu have been such invaluable assets in the last few years and a huge loss in the case of the latter’s recent injury.

Masibaka carries that same threat and according to Ruiz, the back-rower is a stylistic match made in heaven for the national team.

“He is a player who really suits [Townsend], Gregor leans towards attack and Masibaka really fits that profile.”

That’s not to say that he was perparing for a call-up for the young talent.

“I wasn't expecting it at all” he says, laughing. “When Gregor Townsend called me, and he [Alexander] called me after I wasn't ready at all for that phone call and I don't think he was either. On the one hand I was very surprised but on the other I was delighted for him.”

Contrary to imagined prejudice, plying his trade in the Pro D2 does not equate to being a bowling ball up against 15 semi-professional pins.

Granted, “the gap exists, it’s obvious” says Ruiz “the Top 14 goes much quicker, they hit hard but in terms of the intensity of rucks and collisions it’s greater in D2 because the number of repeated contacts are higher”.

Not only that, but the league is sprinkled with international stardust, beyond the aforementioned May you can also find Welsh duo George North and Tomas Francis, former France fly-half Jules Plisson in Provence with Ewan Johnson (also called up to the Scotland squad) at Oyonnax just to name a few.

Add into the mix 20 year Noah Nene, whose dazzling displays for Dax in the division on loan from Stade Francais have earned the centre a call up to the French senior side for the tournament.

But Ruiz believes Masibaka will be joining Jonny Gray, Ben White, Blair Kinghorn and soon Jamie Ritchie in France’s premier competition before too long.

“He’s ready for the Top 14. If he had to go tomorrow, he is capable.” Come next season he will be qualified as a JIFF player, giving him a strong chance of competing with Billy Vunipola for the starting berth.

During our conversation however, I get the distinct impression that, more than the talent on the pitch, it was he has done off it that has impressed Ruiz more.

In the three years they have worked together, he says Masibaka “has become a professional team player, he has become demanding of himself.

“A lot of effort with food and a lot of effort on physical preparation, which he didn’t have before when he relied on his technical ability.”

“He learned that have to eat balanced, not eat fast food and train hard. To make the invisible efforts.”

With an average of a try every two games for Soyaux-Angoulême this season and a Scotland call-up to boot, Masibaka is now pulling up trees thanks to his dedication and those around him believe sky’s the limit when it comes to his potential.

“Massi is a really great guy who has no idea how good he is and how much better he can still be” says May.

“He is our best player every week and I’m really excited to hopefully see him get an opportunity.”

No doubt the test arena is a different beast to the Top 14, let alone its second tier and there is stiff competition for the Scotland shirt albeit at just 23 years of age, Masibaka has time on his side.

There will be more opportunities to stake a claim for it, regardless of whether or not a first cap is earned in the next couple of months with the Pacific Tour in the Summer fast approaching.

But if Alexander Masibaka can do onto those on the international scene as he is does onto those in France, someone in Scotland’s scouting department will have earned themselves not just a supper, but bed and board for life.

*Joueurs Issus des Filières de Formation

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