Tackling Bundee Aki on the subject of his on-pitch prowess meets with about the same success-rate as the triumvirate of England players who tried unsuccessfully to prevent him from scoring a try at the Aviva Stadium. It’s hard to make anything stick or get him to bite when tossing out a few compliments.
Lobbing in a tentative description of the Connacht centre as “a big-game player” is gently rebuffed. It’s what he does not what he says that defines Aki, so it didn’t come as a surprise that he ventured: “No, I just try to fit in well with the squad, do my job, and whenever I get the opportunity to do things and play the way we want to play, I take it with both hands.”
He lived that promise for his try but preferred to thrust others forward when asked about it. “I think I was quite lucky. I think Sam [Prendergast] obviously did all the hard work there, drawing in those two [England] players, with [the help of] Hugo Keenan. Once I saw the try line, I had to make sure I tried to get there.
“I didn’t really think, it was just making sure I got to the try line. It felt really good. Obviously, we’d been under the pump the whole time and then coming out in the second half, England started well [again] but to be able to get back with that try was unbelievable and then the boys just kicked on.
Ireland team to play Scotland: Live updates as Easterby names starting 15 for Six Nations clash
‘We’re trying to be more clinical and accurate': Bundee Aki turns attention to Scotland
Scotland v Ireland: Sam Prendergast set to retain place at outhalf with changes to be kept to a minimum
Fin Smith to start at outhalf for England as Matthieu Jalibert swaps in for France
“There were obviously a few things in the first half which didn’t go our way, or we didn’t stick the passes that we wanted to, but we sort of found our way into it. Against Scotland, we probably won’t have those kinds of chances throughout the game and we’ve got to make sure that we’re much more clinical.
“That’s the good thing, we get to improve on what we didn’t do well in the game. We’re obviously very proud of being able to adapt in the second half but we’re trying to be more clinical and accurate.”
The 34-year-old expended everything physically before being replaced by Robbie Henshaw but the rejuvenation qualities of winning and getting to spend time with family over the weekend had him bouncing back into training as Ireland prepared for their trip to Edinburgh and a clash with Gregor Townend’s Scotland on Sunday.
Sione Tuipulotu’s injury has denied the game one potentially enthralling contest – his duel with Aki – , with the Scottish captain heavily tipped for a place on the Lions tour back to the country of his birth, Australia, during the summer. Aki has already worn the famous red jersey.
There is no time for sentiment. Stafford McDowell and Huw Jones formed the centre partnership in the victory over Italy and were also in tandem as a midfield combination last year against Ireland in Dublin.
Aki said: “I think in the past few encounters we’ve had [with Scotland], they’ve all been tight games. They’re a quality side, they’ve had a good November Series and every time I have played them, they have always put us under the pump, so we expect nothing less from them. [They will] play to their strengths which, being at home, will add another factor into it.
“They’ve got threats all over the park. We’ve got to be on our A game, make sure that we’re up for it. I’m looking forward to it. Every time I play against Scotland, it’s always a tough match, [they] never go away.
“They’ve got attacking flair all over the park, the likes of Darcy [Graham], Huw [Jones], Duhan [van der Merwe] and Finn Russell, who runs the ship there. Their nines are sharp nines, and their back row as well is dangerous.
“I could even go to their props; I think they’ve got the most metres out there with their ball-carriers, so we’ve got a big task ahead of us with how Scotland plays.”
The England game marked the Test match return of Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan, who came on as a second half replacement and made an immediate impact, capping his performance with a try. Aki was asked about the Leinster player. His reply was succinct. “He’s a freak.
“He’s an unbelievable player. I think if you looked at how he scored his try, the whole lead-up to it, he set up his own try really. [He] put Jack Conan through [a gap], throws the long pass to James Lowe and then supports to get his own try. You can see how excited he is in the group and how important he is in the group.
“Ró [Rónan Kelleher], Sheehaner and then Gus [McCarthy] coming through, I think we’re quite blessed to be able to have those quality hookers in our group. They’re all unbelievable players.”
On Sunday for Aki and the squad it is very much a case of back to business.
