'My wife had the baby in the car on the way to the hospital'
The Connacht and Ireland centre is heading to New Zealand to meet his newborn daughter for the first time.
Aine Aki was born three weeks ago on 19 July, just a few hours before her dad came off the bench for the Lions in their first Test victory over the Wallabies.
While many of the Lions players' families were in Australia to enjoy the tour in person, Aki's pregnant wife, Kayla, went back to their native New Zealand in order to have support around her when their fifth child arrived.
Kayla was due before the first Test, but it all happened quickly that Saturday.
'I was in the hotel, I knew we were overdue,' said Aki in Sydney last night.
'The missus calls me and she's like, 'Water hasn't broke but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions.' I go, 'Yeah, fair enough.'
'She goes to the hospital, we're getting ready for the team meeting pre-match, and then she calls me and says she's on the way to the hospital, so I said, 'Fine, be safe.'
'Five minutes later, she sends a photo, her water broke. I was like, 'Cool, OK, are you almost there?' This is like 30 or 40 minutes away from the hospital, so I said, 'You'll be alright, Mum is there.'
'10 minutes later, she video calls me and I was like, 'Shit, what's going on?'
'I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car on the way to the hospital.
'They're both strong and healthy, so happy days.'
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The Aki family at the 2023 World Cup. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
With Aine having arrived safely, her father had to switch his mind back onto the game.
'I knew it was good Juju, I knew it was good Juju,' said Aki with a smile.
'So I knew we were going to have a good day.'
It has obviously been difficult for Aki not to have the chance to meet little Aine yet but he rightly points out that he has had things easy compared to Kayla.
'No, look, credit to my wife,' said Aki.
'She's a powerful woman, a strong woman. I have to say it to her.'
All five of Aki's children have names beginning with the letter A.
So Aine follows Armani-Jade, Adrianna, Andronicus, and Ailbhe.
There is a happy time for Aki to move into now as he leaves Australia. But he will remember this 2025 Lions tour as one of the most enjoyable of his career.
The Ireland international featured in all three Tests for Andy Farrell's side, coming off the bench in the first before starting the second and third.
Aki admitted that 'I wasn't great' in last night's third-Test defeat to the Wallabies but he will have only good memories of this time in Australia.
'It's honestly one of those things that you don't want to take for granted,' said Aki.
'Only so many people can say they've been on two tours or have won a series. Honestly, I can't say anything high enough of this bunch of boys, the team, the staff. It's been one of the most enjoyable tours I've ever been on. It's so good.
'We're going to enjoy tonight as a group of players together, and we'll see them again in the new year.'
Aki with fellow Connacht men Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
There was disappointment last night at not claiming the clean sweep, but Aki believes that a Lions series success is right up there as the biggest achievement of his career.
This is a man who has won a Grand Slam, a Six Nations on home soil, and a series in New Zealand with Ireland, but this was special for him.
'The Lions is every four years, coming to Australia, being the first team to go back-to-back to win the series against Australia,' said Aki, 'it's up there.'
He backed Andy Farrell to lead the Lions again in New Zealand in 2029, praising his Ireland boss for how he made every player and staff member feel comfortable enough to enjoy themselves in Australia.
Given how much Aki loved this tour of Australia and how much he enjoys working under Farrell, he's asked how much the 2027 World Cup on Aussie soil is now in his sights.
35-year-old Aki's current IRFU contract expires in the summer of 2026 and he's non-committal about his plans after that.
'We'll see, we'll see,' said Aki.
'I want to enjoy my break, my family time. I haven't seen my family for eight weeks.
'I have a newborn child who I haven't met yet.'
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