BUNDEE JUMP

Aki on his stellar rise in 2023 and why he believes even better is yet to come

BUNDEE AKI insists there is so much more to come from him after his outstanding 2023.

The year started with him out of the Connacht team but ended with the centre playing his best ever rugby at his second World Cup.

Add it all together and the 33-year-old was last night named as the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year.

Aki is the first winner from the western province since Eric Elwood collected it for his displays in the 1992-93 campaign.

“That is special, especially when you have the likes of Eric Elwood, he’s a legend of Connacht and to be given this award is unbelievably humbling,” Aki said.

“It has been quite a journey. I think every player goes through their journey and I’m quite lucky to be surrounded by such good people and such good team-mates, to be able to stay here for over a decade.

“I haven’t looked back once. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it and, when you’re enjoying it, you just get down to the work and do what you need to do.”

Ireland exited at the quarterfinal stage in

France but

Aki’s displays earned him a quick return to

Paris to be celebrated as part of

World Rugby’s Dream Team of the Year and as a World Rugby Player of the Year nominee.

The New Zealand-born star smiled for the cameras but he reveals it wasn’t an easy experience.

Like his team-mates, Aki (below) had believed that Ireland would go all the way – or least make the semi-finals for the first time.

He explained: “It was tough just for the mere fact that you’re going back to a city where you’ve just lost a quarter-final and you’re trying to get over it.

“But I thank my wife for giving me so much support. She’s the reason why I could hold my head up and go there and show my face.

“It’s an achievement in itself and at the time I said, ‘OK, I should be there’. But my wife was a big help in that.

“I felt disappointed for the longserving players like Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls and asked myself what more could I have done.

“But it could easily have been the bounce of a ball. That’s just sport. Sport is cruel but I certainly think the boys gave a bit of joy to a lot of supporters and a lot of kids.” It could have been a different story had Andy Farrell lost faith in Aki in the wake of his brief exile at Connacht at the turn of last year.

“Andy and all the management have played a massive part in my career.

“The amount of faith and trust they’ve put in me and the team, you want to play for people that trust you, you want to put your best foot forward and not let them down.

“I try to not think of it in terms of the best form of my career. I’m just doing the same thing that I’ve been trying to do week in, week out and, obviously when you have such an abundance of talent around you within the group, they make you look good.

“You look at the team that’s there.

One of Ireland’s best players ever is

Johnny Sexton and when you have a guy like him trying to lead, making you look good and making things look so easy, you’re only doing your job.

“You’re only doing exactly what you’re meant to do. It’s all thanks to the guys who are around you.”

In October, Aki signed a new IRFU deal to remain with Connacht until the end of the 2024/25 season.

“I certainly believe that there’s a lot more, that I can definitely offer more and keep going after things and achieve goals here and there.”