It is with great emotion that Bundee Aki will hear the New Zealand anthem ring out in Dublin.
Born in Auckland, the player of Samoan origin is the youngest of seven children.
Arrived on Irish territory in 2014, Bundee Aki took his first steps in the jersey of the XV of Clover in 2017 against South Africa.
However, he could have made the choice of the New Zealand selection.
Beginnings in New Zealand
It was in 2011, at the age of 21, that Bundee Aki joined the Counties Manukau, a team of New Zealand provinces.
Efficient, the three-quarter center of Samoan origin finished among the best players of the ITM Cup (provincial championship in New Zealand) in 2012. Thus, he left the Counties Manukau to join the Chiefs of Waikato at the level higher, Super Rugby.
In 2013, it is with great ambition that he will start a season at the highest level for the very first time in New Zealand.
Powerful, Bundee Aki will score 5 tries in 15 games and win the title at the end of the season.
But the Auckland native will leave New Zealand in 2014 to join the Connacht team in Ireland.
A career choice
“
I just thought at the time that it was a good time to get moving, to do something different,
” Bundee Aki told The Irish Times in 2016. The massive New Zealand center (1.81 m, 101 kg) immediately became the basic man in the Irish team of Connacht. The first year, he will start in the 28 matches in all competitions that his team will play. While flying to Europe, Bundee Aki knew he was drawing a line on the All Black jersey. "
I'm not going to lie, that was my ambition: to be an All Black, but sometimes you have to see what reality is and where you want to be.
“, He continued in the columns of the Irish newspaper.
Also at Connacht, Bundee Aki owes a lot to his adopted country, Ireland.
It is this nation that allowed him to make his debut for the national team.
First selection in 2017
November 11 will be forever etched in Bundee Aki's memory. Adopted by a whole country, the three-quarter center celebrated the very first selection of his career in front of the Irish fans at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The native of the New Zealand archipelago will have waited three years before wearing the jersey of the XV du Trèfle, according to the eligibility rules of Word Rugby. Its appearance under the Irish tunic will have raised some disputes. As part of the "Project Player" (foreign player eligible to play in the selection after three years of residence in the country where he evolves), the performance of Bundee Aki did not go unnoticed for his former coach Joe Schmidt.
From there to being selectable, an opinion shared between Conor Murray and Tommy Bowe just before Bundee Aki made his first appearance with Ireland. "
He came here and fulfilled the eligibility requirements legally, Bundee did nothing wrong and we are lucky to have him with us,
" said Irish scrum half Conor Murray. Tommy Bowe, who was playing as a winger, admits that it could be upsetting for an Irish player. "
It's never easy to lose your place against a foreign or expatriate player, so you have to constantly give your best
," he told the Irish Independent daily.
Despite this controversy, Bundee Aki is long-term with Ireland and is preparing to meet New Zealand in front of his audience.
Hoping to play a bad trick on the All Blacks.
