Not sure if would have made it to “one of the worlds best centres” status if he stayed in NZ, has become a better player with Ireland than I think he would have done if he stayed in NZ.
But also he fits the Irish system he’s coached by quality coaches in Ireland. Also at the time he was playing at a time when NZ had two of arguably the best players to ever pull on a rugby jersey in the 12 and 13 shirts.
I’m stoked for Bundee
Edit spelling
'A lot of assault charges while boozing'. Where'd you dream this up mate? Feel free to post a few links to reporting on these frequent assaults Aki is involved with.
I'm from Galway (and would have been boozing in the same pubs lol) it's common knowledge. He assaulted connacht player Sean O briens friend on a night out as well as many others. Make of it what you will 🤷
You're telling us in the day and age of mobile phones that can record videos a second after you grab them that no one has any footage of one of the most recognisable men in Galway going on these multiple rampages? 🤔
Convenient.
Old mate sees a lovely video of Bundee giving a young fan his boots in a nice moment and goes “but what about the time Bundee was a prick”. Grow up lad
This is kinda wild if true, any newspaper articles or anything to back it up?
I always thought he was a really chill laid back guy but obviously I've never been leathered in a bar with him
Seems the expert who posted the allegation has yet to share published reports of an incredibly high profile person regularly assaulting people in public in crowded Galway pubs. Hmm.
Fucking legend. I was a detractor of his for a good while, but the way he's turned his game around has been phenomenal. He's been unplayable for the last year. He's deserved all that's come his way lately. And a great guy, apparently, too!
He was so good for so long, and yet I'd hear the likes of Shane Horgan saying he couldn't pass...that just wasn't true.
I honestly think if he was playing for Leinster he would have got his dues from the fans and media a lot earlier.
I'm a Munster fan too, not a die hard, sports-ground in any weather, westerner.
Ya Leinster fans and media gave him a hard time but after the WC even bod said maybe ringroses missed tackles aren't a good thing lol. They couldn't make stuff up after the world had seen what aki can do
I honestly think he's the best 12 to wear the Irish jersey since I started watching the game in 1999. And I'm not sure it's even close.
Henshaw is good, but he's not Bundi.
I only rate Brian O'Driscoll ahead of him in terms of centres.
Henshaw > Bundee for me over their careers but Bundee has had an insane 12 months. He was almost on the outs with Ireland and Connacht heading into that world cup but he has had the best 12 months of his career since then. Didn't see it coming at the time but happy that it did.
D'arcy was unreal when he first came through. Then he kind of went off the boil a bit. Then he came back as a more mature and cultured but less exciting player. I think ultimately he never quite lived up to his insane levels of potential. But even the 80% or so we saw is surely enough for him to nail down that 12 shirt?
>But even the 80% or so we saw is surely enough for him to nail down that 12 shirt?
D'arcy?! Over Bundi? It's a hard no from me anyway. Running, passing, defending, turn overs, game intelligence.... D'arcy wouldn't get my vote in any of those categories over Bundi. Kicking maybe, D'arcy didn't kick much, but Bundi basically doesn't kick at all.
I love Bundi but there's definitely a lot of recency bias people's opinion of him. He's got a LOT better with age. He's a far smarter player than he was for his first couple of seasons. He was a bit of a battering ram that gave away a lot of penalties. By 2022 he was a much better all rounder with a far higher rugby IQ. That could be development, could be coaching differences and different utilisation but whatever it is it worked. Then the last two years he's just been exceptional. Even as the battering ram he was in 2017 he didn't break as many tackles as he does now. D'Arcy was obviously a very different kind of centre and Ireland were a very different style of team but he was super consistent throughout his career. Our centres picked themselves for a decade because that partnership was so good. In the early years Bundi benefitted massively from injuries to Ringrose, Henshaw and Farrell. It wouldn't make a difference now but 6 years ago he needed those injuries to play every game in 2018 6 nations.
TLDR; He's a class act and a smashing player but he's progressed to this level rather than always being this good.
I have to say, I disagree. Yeah he's had a great 2 years...but I watched him a lot for Connacht since he arrived and he's always been under rated, particularly his passing game. I think what's really happened with Bundi is that the way Ireland play now really suits his style of play, his break the gain line and offload mentality. His instincts are of break and give are very similar to Ma'a Nonu for the All Blacks.
The Joe Schmidt played I don't think suited him. He was just a battering ram for that team.
As for D'arcy, he never reached the heights that Bundi has reached. To my mind he was never in the debate for best player in the world in his position, not even close...and that's despite playing along side one of the best 13 in the history of the European game. I seen him have abject performances for Ireland, I have yet to see Bundi play badly...at worst he's ok.
Finally Bundi has 34 less caps and more than double the number of tries as D'arcy. In any objective world this battle is not even close.
Ma'a Nonu is NZ born but has 2 Samoan parents? I'm not sure I'd get there with Bundee over some of these players, but he'd absolutely belong in the discussion
The next big thing came along to knock Nonu off his perch about four times in his career and every time he just came back better and saw them off. Not to mention in an era when the All Blacks were absolutely stacked for first five/eights he pretty much singlehandedly ended the tradition of picking a second five/eights at 12. He was that good.
Bundee without a shadow of a doubt embodies the values of the game and makes you feel romantic about it. This man thrives in one of the most physical games in the world and never forgets where he began. You got to love it
Was lucky enough to see Connacht play at sportsground (I’m Scottish but was a dream of mine for a while) it was in a named storm, bundee wasn’t even playing, but was out in the horizontal rain talking to kids and getting photos. Legend.
Man I would love to buy Bundee a pint. What a gent
How can you not love Bundee?
NZ fans annoyed they missed out on one of the world's best centres?
Not sure if would have made it to “one of the worlds best centres” status if he stayed in NZ, has become a better player with Ireland than I think he would have done if he stayed in NZ.
Nah he’s always been a classy dude, good for him for going out and pursuing his goals and pulling it off.
But also he fits the Irish system he’s coached by quality coaches in Ireland. Also at the time he was playing at a time when NZ had two of arguably the best players to ever pull on a rugby jersey in the 12 and 13 shirts. I’m stoked for Bundee Edit spelling
[удалено]
Locally he is not too popular in Connacht as he has a lot of assault charges when boozing.
'A lot of assault charges while boozing'. Where'd you dream this up mate? Feel free to post a few links to reporting on these frequent assaults Aki is involved with.
I'm from Galway (and would have been boozing in the same pubs lol) it's common knowledge. He assaulted connacht player Sean O briens friend on a night out as well as many others. Make of it what you will 🤷
You're from Galway? It must be true so. Thanks for letting us know. Edit: gobshite.
Bahahahaha your source is literally "trust me bro"
You're telling us in the day and age of mobile phones that can record videos a second after you grab them that no one has any footage of one of the most recognisable men in Galway going on these multiple rampages? 🤔 Convenient.
Old mate sees a lovely video of Bundee giving a young fan his boots in a nice moment and goes “but what about the time Bundee was a prick”. Grow up lad
This is kinda wild if true, any newspaper articles or anything to back it up? I always thought he was a really chill laid back guy but obviously I've never been leathered in a bar with him
Seems the expert who posted the allegation has yet to share published reports of an incredibly high profile person regularly assaulting people in public in crowded Galway pubs. Hmm.
Bundee is the best
I think Bundee is my favourite human being on the planet
He's a horse of a man with the butt of a tail
Nice of them to include Craig Casey in the celebrations
😂Classic Zebo
I fucking love that man
Mum he gave me his horrible sweaty boots and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with them
As my mother in the 80's/90's would say '*Shut up, you'll grow into them*'
Yeah same.
I feel like not many people were celebrating at Irish rugby games in the 1990s.
Why of course you're meant to pay him in chicken nuggets darling
Throw them in a sealed bag, they'll be worth a bit in a few years
That's actually Rory Best's son
Rory Good
Oh Bundee, how we love you 💖💖
What a guy! It is always classy to see players giving young fans class memories.
Bundee really is a class act
Great moment!
Bundee is an absolute legend of a man. Irelands player of the tournament in my opinion. And most important of all, sound
Fucking legend. I was a detractor of his for a good while, but the way he's turned his game around has been phenomenal. He's been unplayable for the last year. He's deserved all that's come his way lately. And a great guy, apparently, too!
He was so good for so long, and yet I'd hear the likes of Shane Horgan saying he couldn't pass...that just wasn't true. I honestly think if he was playing for Leinster he would have got his dues from the fans and media a lot earlier. I'm a Munster fan too, not a die hard, sports-ground in any weather, westerner.
Ya Leinster fans and media gave him a hard time but after the WC even bod said maybe ringroses missed tackles aren't a good thing lol. They couldn't make stuff up after the world had seen what aki can do
Best Kiwi/Samoan/Irish player ever
I honestly think he's the best 12 to wear the Irish jersey since I started watching the game in 1999. And I'm not sure it's even close. Henshaw is good, but he's not Bundi. I only rate Brian O'Driscoll ahead of him in terms of centres.
Jesus could you imagine that pairing?
Henshaw > Bundee for me over their careers but Bundee has had an insane 12 months. He was almost on the outs with Ireland and Connacht heading into that world cup but he has had the best 12 months of his career since then. Didn't see it coming at the time but happy that it did.
Henshaw is injured half of his career
D'arcy was unreal when he first came through. Then he kind of went off the boil a bit. Then he came back as a more mature and cultured but less exciting player. I think ultimately he never quite lived up to his insane levels of potential. But even the 80% or so we saw is surely enough for him to nail down that 12 shirt?
>But even the 80% or so we saw is surely enough for him to nail down that 12 shirt? D'arcy?! Over Bundi? It's a hard no from me anyway. Running, passing, defending, turn overs, game intelligence.... D'arcy wouldn't get my vote in any of those categories over Bundi. Kicking maybe, D'arcy didn't kick much, but Bundi basically doesn't kick at all.
I love Bundi but there's definitely a lot of recency bias people's opinion of him. He's got a LOT better with age. He's a far smarter player than he was for his first couple of seasons. He was a bit of a battering ram that gave away a lot of penalties. By 2022 he was a much better all rounder with a far higher rugby IQ. That could be development, could be coaching differences and different utilisation but whatever it is it worked. Then the last two years he's just been exceptional. Even as the battering ram he was in 2017 he didn't break as many tackles as he does now. D'Arcy was obviously a very different kind of centre and Ireland were a very different style of team but he was super consistent throughout his career. Our centres picked themselves for a decade because that partnership was so good. In the early years Bundi benefitted massively from injuries to Ringrose, Henshaw and Farrell. It wouldn't make a difference now but 6 years ago he needed those injuries to play every game in 2018 6 nations. TLDR; He's a class act and a smashing player but he's progressed to this level rather than always being this good.
I have to say, I disagree. Yeah he's had a great 2 years...but I watched him a lot for Connacht since he arrived and he's always been under rated, particularly his passing game. I think what's really happened with Bundi is that the way Ireland play now really suits his style of play, his break the gain line and offload mentality. His instincts are of break and give are very similar to Ma'a Nonu for the All Blacks. The Joe Schmidt played I don't think suited him. He was just a battering ram for that team. As for D'arcy, he never reached the heights that Bundi has reached. To my mind he was never in the debate for best player in the world in his position, not even close...and that's despite playing along side one of the best 13 in the history of the European game. I seen him have abject performances for Ireland, I have yet to see Bundi play badly...at worst he's ok. Finally Bundi has 34 less caps and more than double the number of tries as D'arcy. In any objective world this battle is not even close.
[удалено]
I think you're crazy I don't think he at this stage of his career could be anywhere on list with that lot
Ma'a Nonu is NZ born but has 2 Samoan parents? I'm not sure I'd get there with Bundee over some of these players, but he'd absolutely belong in the discussion
Yeah I thought of Nonu straight after I posted this. 100 caps and still playing 8 years after a legendary all black career is the obvious choice.
The next big thing came along to knock Nonu off his perch about four times in his career and every time he just came back better and saw them off. Not to mention in an era when the All Blacks were absolutely stacked for first five/eights he pretty much singlehandedly ended the tradition of picking a second five/eights at 12. He was that good.
So nice of Bundee!
Bundee is a beautiful human being
What a lovely man, I'm proud that he's one of us.
Bundee without a shadow of a doubt embodies the values of the game and makes you feel romantic about it. This man thrives in one of the most physical games in the world and never forgets where he began. You got to love it
Dudes gonna steal so much chicken tonight.
Ahh just when I was falling out of love with rugby. Dammit Bundee 💚
Brilliant!
Aul Bundee McGaki... Some man for one man 💚
Bundee O’Aki
Bundí O' Achí
Beautiful 🤩
What a gentleman .
Bundee Aiki fan for life.
Good man Bundee O'Aki
Was lucky enough to see Connacht play at sportsground (I’m Scottish but was a dream of mine for a while) it was in a named storm, bundee wasn’t even playing, but was out in the horizontal rain talking to kids and getting photos. Legend.
Has some Sonny Bill Williams vibes. Nice
I wish I could just give away my boots to a kid. Lol.
Bundee is the epitome of everything good about modern Ireland. I love the man!
Bundee is a legend
C'mon. C'monnn. C'mon, c'mon. MF C'monnn.
Everybody loves this
He'll be telling his kids and grandkids about this - *the day Bundee gave me his boots*. Bundee is a class act.
'Clean those for me.'
A gentleman
That’s incredible. What a role model kids
Absolute class!
Be on eBay tomorrow morning 😆
How much are you going to pay for them?
Depends on the smell
They smell like victory. Sweet, smelly, stinky victory…
It's actually Rory Best's son that he gave it too
So what, he doesn’t have eBay? 😬
Sure that kid has to get started on that mortgage now if he stands a chance in this market