Everything you need to know about Bristol Rovers' internationals*

Four Bristol Rovers players have been called up to represent their countries during the March internationals

Bristol Rovers will have four players away on international duty over the next week for their March internationals with Brandon Aguilera (Costa Rica), Luca Hoole (Wales U21), Matt Cox (England U21) and Jed Ward (England U20) called up. It would have been five but Elkan Baggott has withdrawn from the Indonesia squad with an injury according to the PSSI. The nature and severity of the Ipswich Town loanee’s issue is currently unknown.

Had Reading not requested to postpone the League One match at the Mem originally scheduled for this weekend, Rovers surely would have themselves given the number of players that have ended up away and the fact that they’re all important contributors, most notably the two goalkeepers.

However, with some of the fixture dates and miles that have to be travelled, no doubt there will be reduced availability for the Gas’ next game away at Port Vale on Good Friday (March 29) and possibly even the home game against Shrewsbury Town three days later on April 1.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Rovers’ internationals’ matches are available to broadcast or stream so here is everything you need to know about the Gas players away on international duty and what their respective nations are set to face over the coming week or so.

When you Google ‘Costa Rica fixtures’ some of the highest-ranking search results currently aren’t actually to do with Brandon Aguilera’s nation but the reigning Balon D’Or winner and all-round footballing icon Lionel Messi.

Costa Rica are scheduled to face World Cup holders Argentina in a friendly in Los Angeles on Wednesday March 27 but the World Cup winner will miss out having been forced off injured in Inter Miami’s 3-1 win against Nashville last week and subsequently missed their 3-1 win over DC United on Saturday.

Although that will be a disappointment for supporters in the United States as well as Costa Rica players, Aguilera and co. have a more important test four days earlier as they host Honduras in the CONCACAF Nations League play-off in Frisco, Texas. World Cup qualifiers will get under way in the summer with Costa Rica in a group with Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago but this match will decide on who qualifies for the 2024 Copa America which is also set to take place over the summer in the United States.

The winner of Saturday’s match will go into Group D in the Copa America group stages alongside Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay while the other play-off is between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. Both matches are set to be played on Saturday at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

How much the 12-cap attacking midfielder will play for his country is yet to be seen given that he only made his return from a five-week layoff period with a hamstring injury on Saturday as he came off the bench in Rovers’ 5-0 thumping at Lincoln City but you would assume that, given that the friendly on the West Coast of the United States takes place less than 48 hours before the trip to Port Vale, he may well be absent for the Gas’ next fixture.

vs Honduras – Saturday March 23 – CONCACAF Nations League play-off – Frisco, United States – 11:15pm GMT
vs Argentina – Wednesday March 27 – Friendly – Los Angeles, United States – 2:50am GMT
Matt Cox (England U21)
This is Cox’ third call up to the Young Lions since joining Rovers on loan from Brentford but the 20-year-old is yet to play for them with Burnley’s James Trafford the undisputed first choice while Wigan Athletic’s Sam Tickle has also linked up with Lee Carsley’s side.

England U21s are currently second in their qualifying group after four wins and one defeat to leaders Ukraine U21s and face a long trip to Baku to face Azerbaijan U21s before hosting Luxembourg U21s in Bolton.

It would be a surprise to see the goalkeeper get minutes while away with England given that both of their fixtures are qualifying matches of the U21 European Championships next summer in Slovakia. Additionally, it’s been a difficult two months for the Bees loanee who hasn’t played for the Gas since the 1-0 defeat at home to Exeter City on January 23 after losing his number one shirt to Jed Ward.

Regardless, it will be a worthwhile learning experience for the 20-year-old who you would expect to get another loan move next season.

vs Azerbaijan U21 – Friday March 22 – U21 European Championships qualifier – Baku, Azerbaijan – 12pm GMT
vs Luxembourg U21 – Tuesday March 26 – U21 European Championships qualifier – Bolton, England – 7pm GMT
Luca Hoole (Wales U21)
Missing out on Wales U21s’ last camp through injury was a major disappointment for the right-back who picked up his ankle injury just before international duty. However, after back-to-back starts against Derby County and Fleetwood Town as well as 700-odd minutes from the bench at Lincoln City, the 21-year-old is headed into Matt Jones’ squad match sharp.

Newport-born Hoole has three caps for his country at under-21s level and will hope to be involved in Wales’ U21 European Championship qualifier against Lithuania U21s in his home town with the fixture being played at Rodney Parade, home of Newport County which is the only game involving a Rovers player away on international duty that can be watched on S4C Online.

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Everything you need to know about Bristol Rovers’ internationals*

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