Bundee Aki facts for kids

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Bundee Aki

Aki representing Connacht during the 2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup
Full name	Fua Leiofi Bundellu Aki
Date of birth	(1990-04-07) 7 April 1990 (age 35)
Place of birth	Auckland, New Zealand
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	102 kg (225 lb; 16 st 1 lb)
School	Manurewa High School
University	Athlone Institute of Technology
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre Current team Connacht Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2011–2014 Counties Manukau 43 (50) 2013–2014 Chiefs 25 (50) 2014– Connacht 132 (140) Correct as of 25 February 2024 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2017– Ireland 60 (90) 2021 British & Irish Lions 1 (0) Correct as of 30 November 2024

Fua Leiofi Bundellu Aki (born 7 April 1990), known as Bundee Aki, is a professional rugby union player. He plays as a centre for the United Rugby Championship club Connacht. Bundee was born in New Zealand but now plays for the Ireland team. He became an Irish citizen in 2024 and has dual citizenship.

Bundee has achieved many great things in his career. He has played for the British & Irish Lions, which is a special team made up of players from the UK and Ireland. With Ireland, he has won three Six Nations Championships, three Triple Crowns, and two Grand Slams. He also won a Super Rugby title with the Chiefs and a PRO12 title with Connacht Rugby.

Bundee Aki's Early Life

Bundee Aki comes from a Samoan family. He was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His parents are Hercules and Sautia Aki. He was named Fua Leiofi, but the doctor who delivered him was called Bundellu, so he got that name too. Later, a rugby coach gave him the nickname "Bundee" when he was younger. Bundee is the second oldest of six children. He has one brother and four sisters.

He grew up in Manurewa, a suburb in South Auckland. He went to Manurewa High School and played rugby for the school's top team. In 2011, he took a break from rugby and worked as a bank teller.

Bundee Aki's Personal Life

Bundee Aki grew up and went to school with Tim Nanai-Williams, who later became his teammate at the Chiefs.

Bundee has four children and often talks about how important his family is to him. He lives in Oranmore, which is a town near Galway city in Ireland. In September 2024, Bundee Aki officially became an Irish citizen.

Bundee Aki's Club Career

Playing in Malaysia

Before playing in New Zealand, Bundee Aki played rugby for a team called the Borneo Eagles. They are based in Sabah, which is in East Malaysia.

Playing for Counties Manukau

Bundee started playing for Counties Manukau in New Zealand in 2011. He played nine games that season and scored three tries. In 2012, he played 11 games and scored six tries. His team, Counties Manukau, won their division and moved up to the Premiership Division the next year.

In 2013, he played in all ten regular season games for Counties. They made it to the play-offs but lost in the semi-final. He scored one try that season. The year 2014 was Bundee's last season with Counties. He played all ten games before moving to Ireland to join Connacht. His last game for Counties Manukau was a win against Auckland.

Playing for the Chiefs

In 2012, Bundee Aki signed with the Chiefs, a top team in Super Rugby. He joined them for the 2013 Super Rugby season. He played in 13 games and scored five tries. The Chiefs finished first in the league and won their second title in a row that year. Bundee came off the bench in both the semi-final and the final.

In the 2014 season, Bundee played ten times for the Chiefs and scored three tries. The Chiefs reached the play-offs, but they lost in the quarter-final. This was Bundee's last game for the Chiefs before he moved to Ireland.

Playing for Connacht

Aki before Connacht's 2022–23 Challenge Cup match against Benetton Rugby

Bundee Aki joined Connacht in April 2014, moving to Ireland for the 2014–15 season. He quickly became a very important player for Connacht, always playing well when he was fit.

In October 2016, Bundee signed a new contract to stay with Connacht until 2020. He became eligible to play for Ireland in October 2017, after living in the country for three years.

In November 2019, he signed another contract extension to stay with Connacht until at least 2023. He was the first Connacht player to sign such a special contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). Bundee said he was "truly grateful" to play for both Connacht and Ireland.

In October 2023, after the Rugby World Cup, Bundee extended his contract again, keeping him at Connacht until 2025. Then, in December 2024, he signed another one-year extension, meaning he will stay with Connacht and the IRFU until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Bundee Aki's International Career

Joining the Ireland Team

Bundee Aki could have played for New Zealand, where he was born, or Samoa, where his parents are from. However, after living in Ireland for three years, he became eligible to play for Ireland.

In October 2017, Bundee was chosen to be part of the Ireland squad for the Autumn international games. His selection caused some discussion because of the rule that allows players to represent a country after living there for a certain time. Bundee said that playing international rugby was a big reason he moved to Ireland, and he hoped to make the country proud with his playing.

Playing for Ireland

Aki makes a break during 2023 Six Nations match

Bundee Aki played his first game for Ireland on 11 November 2017. Ireland won 38–3 against South Africa. Two weeks later, he played against Argentina, helping Ireland win 28–19.

In the 2018 Six Nations, Bundee was the only centre to play in every game for Ireland. Ireland won the Grand Slam that year, which means they won all their games in the championship. He also went on tour with the team to Australia, where Ireland won a test series for the first time since 1979.

Bundee continued to be a regular player for Ireland in the 2018–19 season. In November 2018, he played against his home country, New Zealand, and Ireland won 16–9. This was Ireland's first win against the All Blacks on their home ground. Bundee also played in all five of Ireland's games in the 2019 Six Nations.

In September 2019, Bundee was chosen for Ireland's team for the World Cup in Japan. He played in the first game against Scotland, but had to leave early due to a head injury. This meant he missed the next game against Japan. He returned for the games against Russia and Samoa. In the Samoa game, he received a red card and was suspended for three games, which meant he couldn't play for the rest of the tournament. Ireland was knocked out in the quarter-finals by New Zealand.

Bundee was also suspended for four games after receiving a red card in Ireland's win against England in the 2021 Six Nations Championship.

He was part of the Ireland squad for the 2023 Six Nations, where Ireland won their fourth Grand Slam. In August 2023, he was selected for Ireland's World Cup squad for the 2023 World Cup in France. During the tournament, he scored five tries, equalling the record for the most tries by an Irish player in a single World Cup. He was also nominated for Player of the Tournament. In January 2024, Bundee Aki was named the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Men’s Players of The Year.

Bundee was included in the Ireland squad for the 2024 Six Nations. He played very well against Wales in a 31–7 win for Ireland. In November 2024, he returned to the team for a game against Fiji, scoring a try and winning player-of-the-match as Ireland won 52-17.

Playing for the British & Irish Lions

On 6 May 2021, Bundee Aki was chosen for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He made his first test appearance on 7 August 2021 in the final game of the series. South Africa won that game 19–16, winning the series two games to one.

Bundee Aki's Career Statistics

This table shows the tries Bundee Aki has scored in international matches for Ireland.

as of 15 October  2023 (2023 -10-15)^[update]

Bundee Aki's Honours and Awards

Bundee Aki has won many awards and championships throughout his rugby career:

Chiefs

• 1× Super Rugby title: 2013

Connacht

• 1× Pro12 title: 2016
• 1× Pro12 Player of the Season: 2016
• 1× Pro12 Dream Team (a team of the best players): 2016

Ireland

• 3× Six Nations Championship: 2018, 2023, 2024
• 2× Grand Slam (winning all games in the Six Nations): 2018, 2023
• 3× Triple Crown (beating England, Scotland, and Wales in the Six Nations): 2018, 2022, 2023

Individual Awards

• 1× Nominee for World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year: 2023
• 1x Ireland Men’s XVs Players’ Player of The Year: 2024