CONNACHT’S BUNDEE AKI will be “a pretty hard man to stop” when his side’s season gets underway again, according to head coach Andy Friend.

The Ireland centre triggered plenty of conversation earlier this year after photos emerged, showcasing the impressive physique he garnered over lockdown.

There has been some debate around whether or not an increase in muscle mass can have a positive impact on a player’s performance, but as Connacht prepare to resume their season, Friend has no doubts about the strength of Aki’s conditioning. 

“I’ve only known him for two years but he’s as fit as I’ve seen him in those two years,” said Friend ahead of Sunday’s clash with Ulster in the Aviva Stadium [kick-off, 4.30pm] where Aki will earn his 100th Connacht cap.

“I remember watching him in a video when Connacht won the Pro12 in 2016 and Bundee was a wrecking ball. He was in the early 100 (kg) and he got down to the low 90s for the World Cup.

“And now he’s in between, if not up the higher end of that, which I think suits his game. He’s a warrior and his route is route one so he’ll go over the top if he tries to. And if he’s got that additional weight and it’s good weight, he’ll be a pretty hard man to stop.”

He’s a bit like a caged animal who has been locked up for five months, who hasn’t been able to do what he loves doing, which is playing rugby.

“Given that it’s his 100th on Sunday that’s just added incentive for him no doubt. Bundee gives his best whenever he’s playing whether it’s his first cap, 100th cap, 50th cap whatever it is. You know you’re going to get something positive out of him.

Remarking on the other players in the Connacht squad, Friend said that everyone has returned to training in healthy shape and that team nutritionist Gavin Rackard has been in “constant contact” with them all throughout the lockdown period.

He added that some players even managed to lose some weight due to the training they were doing while their season was on hold.

The western province face an almost impossible task of reaching the Pro14 semi-finals as they face into back-to-back inter-pro derbies against Ulster and Munster.

With a view to building for next season, six academy players were added to the senior squad during the summer while some key signings were completed. 

Among the new arrivals are Australia 7s international Ben O’Donnell and Kiwi number eight Abraham Papali’i.

“They’ve been great. We’ve got six academy boys come up, we’ve got two from Leinster and two from Munster. Abraham [Papali'i] has arrived as well. Benny O’Donnell is the only one we haven’t got here yet. But for all of them, they’ve brought a different quality. There’s a hunger to them, this is their opportunity. There all advantages for us.

I think sometimes people come up and say ‘they’re a bunch of misfits.’ Well, we’re not, we have players that other people didn’t want but that’s their opportunity to show that they probably should have got the time somewhere else.

“We’ve got a hunger with that and we’ll certainly be using that this weekend.”

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