Plymouth Argyle striker Ben Waine makes Mansfield Town loan move

Striker Ben Waine will have a chance to get regular first team football after joining League One outfit Mansfield Town from Plymouth Argyle on a season-long loan.

The New Zealand international, who has played just twice for the Pilgrims at the start of this season, is available for the Stags' home league game against Stockport County tomorrow. Waine joined Argyle from Wellington Phoenix for an undisclosed fee in January 2023. and has got seven goals in a total of 14 starts and 34 substitute appearances, with four of them coming in the Carabao Cup.

One of those was when he opened the scoring in the 3-0 first round win against Cheltenham Town at Home Park on August 14. His only other game this term was off the bench late in the 1-1 Championship draw at home to Hull City three days later.

Read More: Argyle complete Rami Al Hajj signing from Danish club Odense

Read More: Not for sale: Argyle decision over Morgan Whittaker

Mansfield manager Nigel Clough told his club's official website: "We are pleased to get Ben on board. He wanted an opportunity to go on loan and play some games.

"We received good references on him from the New Zealand manager and a few other contacts we have. When Chris Wood is injured for New Zealand, he’s the one who plays and he has also scored some goals for Wellington. He has not had too many opportunities at Plymouth but we like what we have seen of him.”

Waine has been included in the New Zealand squad for forthcoming international matches against Mexico and the United States, who are jointly hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Canada.

Both of the games will be played in America, with the first against Mexico, who are 17th in the FIFA World Rankings, taking place at the 96,000-capacity Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Saturday, September 7. New Zealand, world ranked 94th, will then play the USA, 16th in the FIFA rankings, at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Tuesday, September 10.

Waine has had a busy summer of international football. He was the second top goalscorer when New Zealand won the OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Nations Cup and then started all three of his country's group games in the men's football tournament at the Olympics, and netted the winning goal when they beat Guinea 2-1.

Mansfield are 15th in League One with a record of one win, a draw and one defeat from their three games so far this season. Earlier on transfer deadline day, Argyle left-back Saxon Earley signed on loan for another League One club, Lincoln City.

You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE