Connacht have been boosted by confirmation Bundee Aki will be available to face Leinster in their first interprovincial game of the season, as well as their return to Champions Cup rugby the following week.

Cian Healy has praised Bundee Aki’s resilience in the face of a tournament-ending suspension after the centre gave his all in Ireland’s first training session for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand.

Ireland's bid to overturn Aki's red card sanction proves unsuccessful.

Bundee Aki’s tackle may have been the topic of most conversations after Saturday’s defeat of Samoa but it was far from the only hit to take the breath away.

England’s World Cup bid was just minutes old when Billy Vunipola launched himself into contact off the back of a lineout and Tonga’s Zane Kapeli floored him with a tackle that landed the big No 8 flat on his arse.

CJ Stander has never shied away from the dirty work. Picture the Munster back row in action and it’s highly likely the image will involve a freeze frame of him with ball tucked under an armpit and ducking his head into contact for the umpteenth time.

Agustin Pichot’s ears must have been burning yesterday at lunchtime as Joe Schmidt responded to the Argentine’s criticism of the decision to select a project player ahead of Devin Toner in Ireland’s World Cup squad.

Jack Carty extended his 27th birthday celebrations into an extra day yesterday with the news he had been included in Ireland’s 2019 World Cup squad.

Joe Schmidt has urged his players not to go into their shells when Ireland get their chance to atone for their Twickenham nightmare against Wales tomorrow.

Joe Schmidt gave an upbeat assessment on Joey Carbery’s injured ankle following the Ireland fly-half’s worrying withdrawal from the victory over Italy on a medical cart.

The squad includes two uncapped players –Mike Haley and Jean Kleyn

Connacht have only beaten Munster five times in the professional era, but it looks like they will be without Bundee Aki as they bid to make it four wins from five home matches against their neighbours.

Connacht have been boosted by the return of Bundee Aki to training ahead of Saturday’s inter-pro clash with Leinster at the RDS.

This was a very different kind of glory to Chicago.

Niall Scannell will be thrust into action from kick-off this morning, as Ireland bid to win a first Test series in Australia since 1979.

Michael Cheika may not have envied Joe Schmidt the task of telling Johnny Sexton he would be watching tomorrow’s kick-off at Suncorp Stadium from the bench but the man who made the call had no hesitation in handing Joey Carbery Ireland’s No. 10 jersey.

Your lunchtime headlines ...

The perils of having a large extended family are becoming all too apparent to Bundee Aki as he tries to wrangle enough tickets for his Australia-based kinfolk to watch Ireland take on the Wallabies over the next three weeks.

Connacht backs’ coach Nigel Carolan says Australian international Kyle Godwin is the first of a number of big signings for the province.

If things had turned out differently, Garry Ringrose and Ben Te’o could have been both in green today, aiming to take down England and celebrate a grand slam together.

Johnny Sexton will be teeing the ball up at the Aviva Stadium this morning, working away with skills coach Richie Murphy on his day off to keep his kicking routine ticking over as the countdown to Twickenham continues.

A needs-must situation, Joe Schmidt had said.

Joe Schmidt has praised Chris Farrell’s all-round game and form in confirming the Munster centre is at the head of the queue to replace Robbie Henshaw in Ireland’s midfield to face Wales in Dublin on February 24.

Garry Ringrose’s potential return to action after six months on the sidelines may be music to the ears of the Ireland team management but in the wake of Robbie Henshaw’s shoulder injury, the Six Nations leaders have a serious experience deficit to make up before Wales visit in Dublin.

Some of Robbie Henshaw’s friends are still in college.

I am writing with regards to the article, ‘Who judges the judges?’ (Irish Examiner, January 10, 2018) written by Michael Clifford.

Connacht forwards coach Jimmy Duffy says new Irish international Bundee Aki is ready to return to action on the Challenge Cup trail against Brive this weekend.

Connacht coach Kieran Keane says recent Ireland debutant Bundee Aki could be held in reserve over the coming weeks despite an impressive November campaign for Joe Schmidt’s side.

It was only last Monday, as Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki ran together as the midfield combination to face Argentina, that Chris Farrell was calculating how long it might take to earn his second Ireland cap.

Rob Kearney feels the criticism of Bundee Aki’s impending debut for Ireland helped forge a stronger bond among Joe Schmidt’s crew and one which fed into the first of their November internationals, against South Africa, last weekend.

Ireland captain Rory Best has urged debutant Bundee Aki not to sit back but rather step up and take charge against South Africa this evening.

Bundee Aki and Darren Sweetnam stand poised to complete very different but equally demanding journeys into Test rugby when they pull on an Ireland jersey in Dublin tomorrow evening.

Irene Feighan sits down to have a chat with Connacht rugby player, Bundee Aki, about his health and nutrition.

Connacht full-back Tiernan O’Halloran said they have got over the shock of Pat Lam’s decision to leave the Sportsground and are set to sting Wasps this weekend.

Fresh from his game-winning heroics against Toulouse, Connacht centre Craig Ronaldson is targeting a repeat result against Zebre this weekend.