BUNDEE AKI’S OUTSTANDING second season with Connacht was further recognised this evening after the Kiwi centre was voted Player of the Season by his peers in the Guinness Pro12.
Aki, who was named Connacht’s Player of the Season last night, has been to the forefront of his side’s incredible campaign, which saw them finish second in the Pro12 to set up a semi-final meeting with Glasgow Warriors on Saturday, 21 May.
A 26-year-old former Super Rugby winner with the Chiefs, Aki joined Connacht in 2014 and has chipped in with six tries in 26 appearances this season.
Aki was one of seven Connacht players named in the Guinness Pro12 2015/16 Dream Team — which is captained by Leinster’s Isa Nacewa and features 12 Irish-based players in total — at an awards ceremony at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin this evening, while Connacht boss Pat Lam was also named Coach of the Season.
Players’ Player of the Season: Bundee Aki (Connacht)
Young Player of the Season: Sam Davies (Ospreys)
Coach of the Season: Pat Lam (Connacht)
Golden Boot: Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues)
Try of the Season: Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)
Fair Play Award: Ulster
Chairman’s Award: John Muldoon (Connacht)
Dream Team: Isa Nacewa (Leinster, captain); Matt Healy (Connacht), Bundee Aki (Connacht), Ben Te’o (Leinster), Craig Gilroy (Ulster); Sam Davies (Ospreys), Kieran Marmion (Connacht); Denis Buckley (Connacht), Tom McCartney (Connacht), Finlay Bealham (Connacht); Leone Nakarawa (Glasgow Warriors), Ultan Dillane (Connacht); CJ Stander (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh).
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
I’d say it took all of 5 minutes to choose Aki as player of the season. He’s been absolutely phenomenal all year.
Can wait to see him in a green shirt
If his wants it
Can somebody explain to me what The Chairmans award that Muldoon won?
Well deserved for leading by example throughout the years
http://m.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2015/0517/701816-webb-named-pro12-players-player-of-the-season/
Read the last paragraph
Best beard award?! He’d get my vote.
Thanks
Truly bizarre how Bundee wasn’t even nominated for the IRUPA award yet Henshaw somehow was. He’s clearly the best player in the Pro 12 at the moment.
I think it may have to do with Bundee not playing Champs Cup or International rugby. Many of the world cup players were not eligible because they would not have played enough games in the PRO12 so that maybe the reason Marmion and Nacewa got selected ahead of someone like Conor Murray or Liam Williams.
When does Aki qualify? We need to get him in green pronto and tell McCaw to get their hands off him!
I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but I would rather guys like Aki were not capped by Ireland. It didn’t sit easy when he stated his intention to play for Ireland before he had even set foot in the country 2 years ago and it still doesn’t. It’s one thing committing to a country for years and taking international honours when they are handed to you but to come with the goal of playing international rugby after 3 short years doesn’t seem right. It becomes difficult as fellas like Payne and CJ are so likeable and you can’t fault their dedication, but where does it stop? Residency rule should be at least 5 years in my opinion. A real commitment to the country before you can pull on the green jersey.
I don’t know why people keep trotting out this residency for 5 years line. I mean, do you feel different about Strauss now than you did 2 years ago? The only point of it seems to be as a deterrence.
Yeah I do actually. 5 years is a serious career defining commitment and it would filter out a lot of the foreign players coming here purely to target international rugby. I personally would rather it was 10 years, but 5 is a start.
Jack. Tbh the attrition rate is so high in international rugby Ireland and the provinces need every half decent player they can get. Given that Rugby does not have the pick of the best athletes or footballers in each province.
I don’t think that’s really relevant Christiaan. For me, playing for Ireland should mean something. It should be something aspired to from childhood, not an afterthought or plan B. The tribalism is part of what makes the game great and I fear that is somewhat diluted by foreign players. You say we need to take every good player we get but if Aki becomes Irelands starting centre he will block one of Henshaw, McCloskey, Marshall, Olding or Ringrose. All brilliant home grown players who no doubt dreamed of playing for Ireland since they were under 8s.
Jack. I understand your sentiments. Fact is there is no distribution system which evenly distributes young players. Add to that inexperienced coaches who seem to prefer experienced players then the case for project players is inevitable. However if the IRFU were to provide Academy coaches with networking opportunities to discuss young players who are not signed and 2nd or 3rd year Academy prospects who are not developing in order for all the provinces to avoid bottlenecks then there would be less of a case for project players.
Project players or poaching what’s the difference?
They didn’t let him go, he just left anyway. They kicked up a massive fuss when he left, even Steve Hansen got involved http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11241159
I expect he will be capped by Ireland. If he is, there is no doubt he will be one of the first names on the Ireland team sheet for years to come if he maintains anything close to his current form.
The NZRU would have done everything in their power to keep him if they felt he had a long term future as opposed to him potentially playing a role dictated by form and or injuries of other players. That article merely highlights the problem teams down south are facing with player drain.
Is the fair play award for best disciplinary record or what is it?
Yeah least amount of reds and yellows
I’ve a question for anyone interested..what’s your view on the likes of Aki playing for Ireland? In my own view I would be delighted to see this man in any irish jersey as I am seeing CJ and Jared etc..They add so much to our team but let’s say we beat New Zealand some time in the coming future like it sort off takes the spice off it that we needed a few of their own players to do it..I know New Zealand scout players off smaller near by nations like samoa but it’s not the way we want things to happen like France and England have bucket loads to choose from..it just doesn’t seem right to me what do ye guys think?
Increase the qualification period to 4 years so as not to make it a soft option, make it more of a commitment. That said every other country is doing it so we, with our paltry number of players compared to England or France, can’t afford to be too sniffy about it.
Aki award is very well deserved, can’t beleive he didn’t even get nominated for the IRUPA version!
Slightly surprised that Marmion and Isa make that side. Both have been fairly mixed with some great stuff and some poor stuff.
Think he might have his head turned if big money comes from England or France ,Connacht won’t be able to out bid them when he isn’t on a central contract!!
Highly doubt it. When he signed, he said he hoped to play international rugby, and that was the main reason he moved to Ireland (mentioned his Samoan eligibility as well). When he finishes his current contract with Connacht he will be Irish qualified and you would expect he will be picked for Ireland. Move away, and he almost certainly loses that opportunity. I doubt he is going to be spending three more years in a new country to try and become eligible for them. My biggest fears would be that he would move back to New Zealand, but it is not as if he is a certain pick for the All Blacks (remember, he left because Sonny Bill Williams joined the chiefs and he wasn’t guaranteed starts for the club). Other fear would be he would leave Connacht for another province, but seeing as provinces can no longer out-bid each other (I think?), that seems less likely. If he gets capped for Ireland, I see him staying with the club for a few more years at least.
I hope he doesn’t go back to New Zealand and play one game and never get near the squad again
Think its safe to say he wont be leaving, NZ dont let players go unless they deem them to be surplus.
Can we not pick irish players
Much as I’m delighted to have Isa back at Leinster, he’s a fortunate man to have been named in the Pro12 team of the season. His leadership contribution at Leinster has been excellent, but he is clearly – and understandably – not the phenomenal player he once was.
I reckon you‘ll see a better player next year. Can imagine taking couple years off dulls some of the old instincts.
Not sure about that – he’s 34 this summer.
Richly deserved. He’s had an incredible season
Bit gutted FOLEY never got coach of the year !!!!