Aki ban a threat to Irish

– The Irish are preparing to face the All Blacks on Saturday without Bundee Aki, according to assistant coach Simon Easterby, after the Kiwi-born centre received a three-match ban for a high tackle.

A judicial panel rejected Aki’s attempt to overturn the red card he was shown after he shoulder crashed into the head of Samoa flyhalf Ulupano Seuteni during Ireland’s 47-5 win.

The Irish Rugby Football Union voiced disappointment with that outcome and will decide whether to use their 48hour window to review after they receive the committee’s written report.

Asked whether that meant the Irish side preparing for New Zealand without Aki, Easterby said: “I guess we have to, partly to do with the time it could take [to appeal].

Tokyo

“We like to have as much clarity early in the week as possible and we’re now Tuesday... so we’re a little bit limited in terms of training.

“We’re taking the course of action that Bundee potentially won’t be available for us this weekend.”

Aki, who has Samoan roots, even received support from the Samoan team which urged the judicial panel to “see some sense” and spare him a ban.

And Easterby stressed that the centre was “nowhere near a dirty player”.

Ireland already lost him for “a large chunk of the game,” noted Easterby, who said that Aki was “pretty upset about the decision, and rightfully so”.

“There’s no better man for knowing how the Kiwis work and how they might be approaching this,” he acknowledged. –