Bundee Aki: There’s no comfort zone in this Ireland squad

It has been a year since Bundee Aki pulled on the green jersey of Ireland for the first time, but the Connacht centre admits that even being involved in pretty much every Test since he cannot ever feel comfortable about his place in the squad.

A debut for the New Zealand-born, naturalised Irishman came last November against South Africa in Dublin and was not to everyone’s liking, as his presence as a project player was questioned in some quarters. To a focused individual like Aki that was water off a duck’s back. Of more concern is maintaining the standards that earned him a call-up by head coach Joe Schmidt in the first place and continuing to deliver whenever the opportunity to play Test rugby arises.