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Connacht generating alternative to Aki's innate energy

The centre is an irreplaceable personality in any team, but Connacht have worked at how they operate in his absence.

AS IN ALL contact sports, attitude is a key element of defence in rugby, under-pinning physicality, underlining decision-making and overpowering any nagging doubts that body might propose to avoid a 20th bone-shuddering collision.

Few in Irish rugby exude an attitude as tailor made for the task as Bundee Aki. The centre is among the biggest personalities in whatever squad room he enters, with some players happily admitting annoyance at the barrage of verbals he brings into the fray.  Simply put, Aki is a player opponents can’t stand and somebody a team-mate can ride the coat-tails of.

The trouble for Connacht is that, through a combination of player management and injury, Aki has played just six times for Connacht this season, Saturday’s win over Cardiff Blues was just the second time the centre completed a full 80 minutes for his province and now he, along with Ultan Dillane and Dave Heffernan, has been called back to Ireland duty.

Every team must deal with being without key men at times, but Aki’s inimitable energy and attitude make him a more difficult absence to account for. Not alone is he a talented, powerful, playmaking centre. His vocal presence is strong enough to create a vacuum if coaches are not wary of transitioning into a contest without him.

The centre replacing him may well be able to perform the role, but he cannot replicate Aki’s personality. Nor should he.

“Bundee was a massive part of that in terms of energising and lifting the group. That was recognised, it was celebrated and everyone fed off that,” says Connacht defence coach Peter Wilkins, looking back to his team’s early experiences playing without crowds.

“Then we had a couple of training sessions where we said to him quietly, ‘we want you to stay quiet today and just see what the rest of the group’s response is’.

“You could feel it drop off. You could feel we were pretty reliant on him producing that for us. But I think as the season has progressed there has been a growing realisation, – that other people do need to pick up that slack whether he is there or not.

“You can still celebrate good moments, you can still generate that energy when you need to regain momentum in games where it is maybe going against you. But also you can energise without necessarily being heard, through some other way, in terms of the conversations, the quieter conversations you are having.”

rey-lee-lo-and-bundee-aki-after-the-game Rey Lee-lo and Aki leave the pitch post-match. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Out-half Jack Carty and captain Jarrad Butler are prime examples of leaders who excel in those quiet moments. The flanker was pin-pointed for praise by his coaches after Connacht managed to turn the screw on a match that threatened to get too tight for comfort.

“The scoreboard was tight, but we felt we could get there,” says Wilkins.

“When some of those pressure moments have come on this season and there were decisions to be made about game strategy, we’ve questioned our decisions when we reviewed the games.

“Jarrad Butler did a magnificent job. There were a few moments in the game where he got the boys together, had a quiet word and just refocused and regrouped. That wasn’t by accident, it’s been driven by the leadership as much as the coaching group. They work on it in training and there were some moments when (the game) could have gotten away from us, but the players refocused and re-applied themselves really effectively.”

By design or otherwise, Wilkins credits Aki for a measured performance in the welcome home win over the Blues while the centre was playing to catch the eye of Andy Farrell and earn a run-out against the Azzurri.

“It was really important for Bundee to get back to us and have that game-time on the weekend just gone against Cardiff,” says Wilkins.

“It was important for us as well, because we all associate Bundee with Connacht. he’s a proud Connacht man. he’d do anything for this team. That’s then in contrast with the minutes he’s actually available for and can actually feel like he can contribute on field.

“I thought it was a really controlled performance. We know he’s a big character and he can be vocal and can be an energiser on the field.

“He did bring that, but I thought there was a control about the way he played. There’s a maturity in that, whereas sometimes it can be tough when you come back for one game knowing you’re going back into the Ireland squad. Because you try to do everything at once and be at the centre of everything.

“Bundee had the balance right at the weekend. In terms of us feeling a sense of confidence and control, Bundee was a large part of that.”

This Thursday, the western province fly off to Italy for a Friday Pro14 clash away to Benetton and they will again need to generate an alternative energy to Aki.

They’re well prepared for it.

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    Mute Meatloaf
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 2:56 PM

    Sheer boredom must have got him

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    Mute Frainc Ó Broin
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:13 PM

    @Meatloaf: he didn’t start once this year, he was just getting a sub appearance at the end of most championship matches. May have been frustrated with that.

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    Mute Meatloaf
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:21 PM

    @Frainc Ó Broin: yeah bad enough having to play could you imagine being forced to sit there an watch most of them!

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    Mute Frainc Ó Broin
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:27 PM

    @Meatloaf: you aren’t from Dublin and don’t remember the feeling of winning, it’s not something that gets boring. Worth noting mannion probably has studies to complete and the lad has given his all for so many years so deserves a break

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:20 PM

    Unreal work rate and and ability to kick scores from any where. He’ll be missed for sure, thanks for your service Paul. Up the Dubs

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    Mute Gerard Smith
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:56 PM

    @my name: point taking is fabulous. Dependable from anywhere. A real loss to the team

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:06 PM

    @Gerard Smith: I should have mentioned he kicks off either foot too. Massive loss

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    Mute Finnster
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:13 PM

    @my name: they are dropping like flies but the lads that are replacing them are just as good . Any chance they would take a year out and let Galway one of the traditional top four football teams in history win another one ; )))

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:23 PM

    @Finnster: part of me would like that as Galway really are the only side capable of taking Sam across the Shannon pal. But nah. We want more titles

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    Mute James Gorman
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 9:20 PM

    @my name: just not unreal eneough to make the starting 15 now – hence his sensible decision not to give over his life to warm the bench. Dublin have the pick of a province. Ten more lads to fill his boots.

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 9:59 PM

    @James Gorman: unreal enough to get 3 All Stars in a row James

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    Mute Looney Tunes
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:01 PM

    Players have no interest as its too much commitment & 1 way traffic for the Dubs, no competition & the Dubs are expected to win sam every year now, monotonous every year, ps good luck Paul, a fabulous player

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:21 PM

    @Looney Tunes: Monotonous winning? That’s loser talk right there. You’re not from Mayo by any chance?

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    Mute Togs
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:24 PM

    @Looney Tunes: you lost me when you said the players have no interest. That’s complete and utter malarkey. You must now spend a few hours looking for the 5 lamps as a penance..

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:02 PM

    @Seán Óg: it’s too easy Sean

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 7:41 PM

    @Togs: Why are they leaving early so?

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 10:51 PM

    @Thomas O’ Donnell: ehh.. Not cuz it’s boring anyway fjs..

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    Mute Pauliebhoy
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:15 PM

    Apparently taking time off to complete his Masters

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 5:31 PM

    Great, great player with a sweet left foot. Good luck with the studies Paul and hope to see you back in blue in 22.

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    Mute Brian James Moss
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 3:08 PM

    Offaly for Sam!!

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    Mute Eddie Walsh
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:18 PM

    I think it’s very worrying that we are losing such Brilliant players from our game
    In any other Sport this would not happen
    Time for a rethink.

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    Mute JG
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:25 PM

    @Eddie Walsh: rethink of what exactly. Paddy A and MD are at retiring age and Mannion will be back. Don’t exaggerate the extent. Lads retire every year from every sport.

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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:25 PM

    @Eddie Walsh: players have careers to think of in Gaelic games though Eddie. Mannion already has to take a year out to got to China as part of his studies

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    Jan 23rd 2021, 11:24 AM

    @Eddie Walsh: Paul’s taking a year out to consatrete on his master’s which he’s obviously decided he can’t do both he hasn’t actually come out and said he’s retiring from inter county football

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    Mute Stephen Mc Dermott
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 4:22 PM

    The weekly eulogy to retiring Dublin players is now as boring as the sport itself.

    Correct that, its sickening.

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