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.

Aki, 28, is set for a 10th Ireland cap this Saturday in Chicago, when Ireland get the November internationals underway with a Test match against Six Nations rivals Italy at Soldier Field. His inclusion in a squad is never taken for granted and he does not mistake familiarity for comfort.

“I wouldn’t say comfortable,” Aki said yesterday. “You are still coming in with an edge. There is so much competition around in the position that we are in. I think the main thing about coming into a group like this is that everyone is in a good environment. Everyone is in a happy place at the moment.

“There are still a few nerves. Coming from the club, you have a lot of different calls, so you need to make sure you are switched on when you come back into this environment. Games change from week to week, teams can change from week to week. You just have to make sure everyone is on their toes.”

Aki was aware of the noise from a small section of pundits surrounding his status as an Ireland debutant but wisely chose to ignore it.

“Look, people have their own opinions. You can’t hide from it. You can’t do anything about it. You just have to focus on what you need to focus on.”

“I just wanted to do the best I could to put in a performance for the boys around me, because they are the guys who I will be playing with.

“The boys around me made me feel welcome. I am one of them. I have thick skin. It’s all about the guys around you and making sure that you are impressing the coaches.

“I knew what I wanted to do, it’s just sometimes you have to make sure that within yourself, you know what you are doing and what goals you have set. It’s about keeping that close to yourself and, when the time arrived, like it did, I was thankful for the opportunity. I’m in a good head space at the moment.”

Aki starts the new international season in a good place after being an ever-present in the Grand Slam success last spring and finishing his debut season with Ireland as a series winner in Australia. Yet, he feels the need to take the chances offered him with both hands and Saturday’s game with Italy fits that bill.

“It’s an opportunity for a lot of the lads. The lads have set a standard, so whenever you put on that green jersey, you know you have to be at your top performance. If you do get to wear that jersey, you have to make sure you wear it with pride and put in the best performance you can.”

Ireland assistant coach Simon Easterby yesterday described Aki as the “the type of person that players want to play with” and the Connacht star sees his midfield partners, having played alongside both Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, as also fitting that description.

“They’ve got flair and skills. If you are inside them, it just makes your role a lot easier... Garry and Robbie are two of the top centres in the world. It’s a pleasure playing alongside them.”