Bundee Aki: 'I have a newborn child who I haven't met yet'

RTÉ News​

3 days ago

The British and Irish Lions squad will go their separate ways today, after eight weeks on the road.
Some are hanging around Australia for a few more days, connecting with family who have made the trip over. Others are off on a much needed holiday.
Bundee Aki is catching the first flight he can to New Zealand to meet someone new.
The 35-year-old recently became a father for the fifth time when his wife, Kayla, gave birth to their latest daughter two weeks ago.
Aki had kept the news under wraps from the public in recent weeks, but with the series over after last night's 22-12 defeat to Australia, the Ireland international was bursting to share his news.
"If you only knew the story of what happened, it's a funny story in itself," he said, before revealing that his new daughter, Aine Aki, came into the world just a few hours before he took on the Wallabies in the first Test in Brisbane.
"I was in the hotel. I knew we were overdue.
"The missus calls me and she's like, 'Water hasn't broke but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions.'
"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.'
"Ten 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."
Just a few hours later, Aki had to park the emotion of the day, or rather channel it into a game of rugby, as he came off the bench in the second half of the Lions' 27-19 first Test win against the Wallabies.
The thought of not playing never crossed his mind.
"I knew it was good Juju, I knew it was good Juju. So I knew we were going to have a good day.
"All my kids start with A. So my wife loved the name Aine. That's five As in the family. Armani, Adrianna, Andronicus, Ailbhe, Aine," he added.
Earlier on this tour, his Ireland and Lions team-mate Andrew Porter also spoke about the challenge of being away from home so soon after becoming a parent.
And like Porter, Aki said it's been far tougher on his wife at home than it has on him.
"They're both strong and healthy, so happy days."
"Credit to my wife. She's a powerful woman, a strong woman."
As for the rugby, the Connacht centre says this Lions series win is right up there with any of his previous career achievements, although he admitted frustration at his own performance as the Lions missed out on the chance at a series whitewash, something they haven't inflicted on Australia since 1904.
And he's also backed head coach Andy Farrell to lead the Lions to New Zealand in 2029.
"There's no better man to be able to do it.
"I think he just made everyone feel themselves and just enjoy this tour and this campaign. It's not just the players he made feel comfortable. It's the whole staff members, everyone enjoyed each other's company.
"You only wish you could be in that group of people. It's been unbelievable.
"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."