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Bundee Aki sends new reminder to All Blacks he's the one that got away
Ireland and Connacht centre Bundee Aki has officially become an Irish citizen after moving to the country ten years ago.
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The 34-year-old was born and raised in New Zealand, and began his professional career there before making the move to Connacht in 2014.
Three years after moving to Galway, the centre qualified to play for Ireland, where he has gone on to earn 57 caps since making his debut against South Africa in November 2017.
In a ceremony at Dublin’s Convention Centre on Monday, the 2021 British and Irish Lion was one of 3,600 people who were granted Irish citizenship.
“I have nothing to complain about here,” Aki said after becoming a citizen.
“I love the people, I love the culture, I get along with a lot of them here in Ireland. There’s not a bad word I can speak about Ireland. Every time I go somewhere with my family, people welcome us, people are so lovely.
“We feel like we’re at home at the moment away from home. Wherever we go, every time we get back home we think ‘it’s nice to be back at home.'”
Aki has been a rock in the Irish midfield ever since making his debut seven years ago and has shown no signs of letting up. This time last year he enjoyed a standout World Cup in green where he was one of the best players in the tournament. He has three Six Nations titles to his name, including two Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023.
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Despite crashing out to the All Blacks in the quarter-final stage of the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, Aki will surely go down as one of the biggest ‘one’s that got away’ for New Zealand rugby given the success he has had on the international stage.
The 102kg centre has also tasted success with Connacht as well, winning the Pro12 in 2016.
Despite missing the second Test against South Africa in July due to a shoulder injury, Aki is back in training but Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins has said he will not make a return until round three of the United Rugby Championship season due to his workload over the summer.
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yeah.. the way he won that RWC quarter final for Ireland.... what's that?
All the boasting NZ do about that match you would swear they won the RWC.
SA won: everyone else lost. NZ are well on their way to a permanent RWC drought. You would think they would know better and rein in the arraogance and boasting?
Ireland taught him to be a great rugby player - it truly helps he's playing for the best rugby team in world now.
(if you can make James Lowe - who's 💩 seem good, you have great systems) - he clearly wasn't going to get that in the SH - as you can see how utterly poor the skill. Levels are in the SH these days.
He learned how to play proper rugby in Ireland, make a living wage at it and play in full stadiums for great teams for supporters who actually love the game and buy tickets to support their teams. Things he'd never had gotten In the SH
can't make it past a quarter final in a game that counts...
naaige, you old knob! How's tricks? I mean literally, how's tricks?
Bundee has done great and good on him. If you gave him a magic button though and he could swap his whole career for ireland for just one cap as an AB, he would hit that button in an instant. It's ok to be realistic.
He'd think you were a wanker for saying that after he got citizenship. The team he played for beat NZ pretty easily in NZ. Realistically he has a better chance of winning stuff with Ireland.
He is a wonderful player and you can see he gives his all when playing for Ireland. Imho he is one of the players that would make a world team if we were to play Mars tomorrow.
Congratulations Bundee Aki and family for the Irish citizenship... an Irish rugby legend and his name forevermore will be written in Ireland Rugby Union history...to be sure, to be sure....Respect...
He could've qualified for Samoa and China as well due to his ethnicity.
Not too late
He could have qualified for any country in the world based on his residency if he had gone somewhere different to Ireland chasing the big contract.
You love our boys you Irish, you've even got our Nankivell, now he's another good buy for you.
We beat SA in Durban with one overseas player. Something the great and humble NZ cant do with a full compliment of Samoans. Put a lid in it son. Concentrate on NZs whiny slide into irrelevance.
Steve Hansen stated that he was unhappy when Aki announced he was leaving, so clearly, he had been identified as a player of potential.
However, NZ rugby could not compete with the Euro's that Aki was offered and the potential income stream if he then qualified to play for Ireland via residency.
Thankfully, WR addressed this by extending the residency period from 3 to 5 years and thus disincentivizing certain unions from having so-called "project players" to address gaps in their depth.
Aki has achieved Irish citizenship. Appears to be happy. All we see is the usual self righteous nonsense from the country who has been naturalizing Samoans forever.
Good lad. You can see on the field he is the one who feels those losses the most. Always seems to be up for his clashes against NZ like their the most important battles of his life, one you want on your side!
No way would I want him leading my side. He is just as likely to be leading a different side next week, depending on who offers tye cash, so no thanks.
Bundee Aki was too raw and ill-disciplined during his time with the Chiefs. He had the potential but he still had to mature as he gave away too many silly penalties.
It just shows the immense strength, quality and professionalism of the Irish rugby system when they can take a player like Aki and turn him into one of the world's best centres.
He didn't get away from New Zealand, as they had too much depth in centre at the time, so he moved away of his own accord to seek new opportunities. James Lowe was a bit different - he was already a world class winger but Aki had to be developed.
I think he still does. No doubt better than when he was learning a 22/23 of course though. Nah, it shows you the internal strength and mentality of the man.
Ireland does have a good system of course, I wouldn't suggest it doesn't when you look at their sudden success without many stars of their own, but Aki most certainly would have been an All Black legend as well.
I also think you were find that last passage is a matter of context. Yes, NZR were letting players get away around that time, but had just been getting better (making more money) at retaining players by then (will have to check the recent years to see if retention has continued to improve).
He wouldn't make the all blacks 2nd team ...what has he done ..same as Lowe ..onlyhave to look at last world cup...
Let's look at the NZ series instead. Easy 2:1 win for Ireland. NZ are just good enough to take one scalp in a RWC. Badly beaten by France. Beaten by SA. Needed a dodgy draw and schedule.
I am.enjoying your whining since the series. So humble.
What a tosser. It becomes very clear when these sorts of players have to come out and publicly justify their decision to be dis-loyal. Aki, Lowe, Hansen etc. They always have to bag out the country that taught them how to play rugby.
Oh and Hey Bundie! Ever win a 1/4 final?
It's a great day for the Irish.! ☘️😂
When he moved, NZ had a wealth of talent at centre, so he never would have made the team. It's really only been the last 2-3 years he's become a force, so he probably wouldn't have been given a consistent run in the ABs to develop during those last 10 years anyway. Going to Ireland where he's been able to develop his game was probably best for him. It is something NZ have been missing in recent years, a barnstorming Nonu sized midfielder.
He would have made the team at the same time he did for Ireland. Just with Ireland he probably could have made it after just a year, and had to wait? After 3 or 4 more years in NZ (not that it would have got more and more likely he left each year of course) most of his competition would have been gone and he'd be clear no1.
Great player but no real sob story about him leaving
He was up against Nonu Smith and SBW
He was a good player then but Ireland have made him a great player
What a man!!!
What a great player he is for Ireland. What an addition to the country.
Bit like all the other overseas players u have