Bundee Aki linked with moves away but Connacht is the current priority

A confirmation that Bundee Aki IRFU contract runs through to the end of next season in the summer of 2026, and that would seem to be a complicating factor to reports in Midi Olympique that Toulon have been fluttering their eyelids.

CONNACHT PRIORITY: Bundee Aki is linked with moves abroad but his only focus at present is Connacht and Ireland. Picture: ©INPHO/Henry Simpson

Ten years living and working in Ireland, Bundee Aki deepened those connections with this country two months ago when he was one of 3,600 people to receive their citizenship in a ceremony at the Convention Centre in Dublin.

The Connacht centre described it as an “unbelievable privilege and unbelievable honour” when asked about that day earlier this week. He has spoken time and again about his love for the country, about the people and the country.

The rugby hasn’t been bad either.

Aki has spent a decade of his life living in Galway and playing for Connacht. He has been wearing Ireland green since 2017 but professional sport is a needs-must business and the 34-year old has been linked of late with a possible move to the Top 14.

“The situation right now is to play for Connacht,” he said with a smile before Saturday’s international against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium, “to play with Ireland and, yeah, that's all I've got to say!” 

There was a tad more, a confirmation that his IRFU contract runs through to the end of next season in the summer of 2026, and that would seem to be a complicating factor to reports in Midi Olympique that Toulon have been fluttering their eyelids.

Aki will win a 59th Test cap against the Pacific Islanders. His input has been prodigious in an era of plenty for Ireland in terms of midfield options where everyone has had to take a turn watching on from the sidelines.

Garry Ringrose will be the man in the stands this particular week. That was Aki's lot last time around as the Leinster man paired up with Robbie Henshaw in the centre while Jamie Osborne provided cover off the bench.

Not easy, especially after that false start for the team against the All Blacks.

“It's tough for anyone. It's always a challenge but you put that aside and you put the team first. I had a different role last week, which was to prepare the boys for the game last week and I enjoyed that role. It was good to see them thrive, the way they played.” 

Aki's was the only name to drop off the starting list from the one that lined up against the Kiwis. That he didn’t even make the reserves must have made it all the harder but he describes a healthy, honest relationship with Andy Farrell even at times like that.

“You take it on the chin and you've just got to be better and take the opportunity of the week to nullify your mistakes and to be a better person and to be a better rugby player. The two boys who played last weekend were unbelievable.

“You've still got the likes of big Stu [McCloskey], the likes of Jamie Osborne, lads are coming through and putting up a big challenge last week. It's up to myself to be able to put my best foot forward and to step up another notch.” 

You could make a case for McCloskey to start this one ahead of Aki rather than coming off the bench but then Farrell has spoken of the need to buttress youth with enough experience as possible when the new faces get their chances.

Sam Prendergast made a cameo debut against the Pumas last week and he gets to start for the first time against Fiji with Craig Casey as his nine. Having Aki and Henshaw in situ is an obvious move as the out-half avails of this chance.

"He's a great young kid who is taking all his opportunities. He's learning loads, he's got his own flair for the game and he's only going to get better and grow as a player. He's a tall little young fella anyway, that's for sure! He's got a lot of skills in his armoury.

“He's real calm,” Aki continued. “It's like he's in his own little world, it's like he's playing backyard footy. In training some of the stuff he comes up with is unbelievable. So you look forward to seeing those young fellows relish those opportunities and backing them 100%.” 

Scraping past Argentina was vital given that loss to New Zealand but the second-half performance means worries persist about this Ireland team ahead of their second pair of appointments this month against the Fijians and the Wallabies.

The hope is that there is much more in them yet. Starting Saturday.

“I think we have high standards for each other, we have high standards as a group and we know for a fact - well, I know for a fact, speaking from my own experience from the New Zealand game - it just wasn't good enough.

“And that's the standards you put on yourself and you put on the team. You want to play at a high level and that's what the coaches expect of us. We know what we're capable of and what we're able to deliver.”