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Connacht’s Bundee Aki takes a selfie with fans after the game. Billy Stickland/INPHO

Bundee Aki backed to star for Ireland after Connacht impact

The similarly impressive Josh Murphy was named player of the match during the province’s bonus point Challenge Cup win over Cardiff.

Nathan Johns reports from Cardiff Arms Park

CONNACHT HEAD coach Pete Wilkins has backed Bundee Aki to have an impactful Six Nations campaign after the centre impressed in his last Connacht outing before linking with Ireland.

Lock Josh Murphy was named player of the match during the province’s bonus point Challenge Cup win over Cardiff, though Aki made a strong case given his role in three of Connacht’s four tries. Aki found gaps for teammates throughout the contest, no less than his first-half assist for Murphy’s game-opening score.

Joe Joyce’s later try also came off a strong fend and offload from Aki. Byron Ralston’s second-half score featured some delicate handling on a night where Aki’s passing game impressed as much as his usual combative carrying.

“What we’re seeing from Bundee, not just that physical toughness and that emotional drive that he brings to the group, but there’s a real change of gear about him at the moment,” said Wilkins. “He looks fit. There’s an explosiveness about him that shows he’s gearing up hopefully for a really big Six Nations.

“He’s been one of the most vocal players within the group in the preparation for these Challenge Cup weeks, which is saying something because he’s almost ticked every box in terms of representative rugby.

“But for him to get as excited about this competition is largely because he’s excited about this group of players… He’s been excellent for us and we’ll feed off that.”

The win at Cardiff Arms Park secured the competition’s top knockout seeding for Connacht. So long as they keep winning, their road to the Challenge Cup final will go through Galway, offering a home advantage which could prove crucial as Wilkins and co target silverware.

“I’m very proud of the boys,” said Wilkins. “They said from the start, behind the closed doors of our team room that the Challenge Cup is something they wanted to really make a go of this season.

“The things I’m most pleased about is the players walked the walk. There are a number of teams at the start of the Challenge Cup, they look at the draw and by virtue of it being the Challenge Cup, it’s the ‘other’ competition, they see it as an opportunity for silverware. You weed out the teams that are talking about it, as opposed to doing it, pretty quickly.”

Connacht will host a last-16 tie against the bottom-ranked qualifier on the weekend of 4 April. A week prior, the province welcomes Munster to McHale Park, the home of Mayo GAA. Having already sold out the fixture with 25,000 tickets gone, Wilkins was asked if he would like to see a European knockout tie played in Castlebar.

“That’s a good question! It’s not something I’ve heard mentioned yet. We’ll see how things shape up but I know everyone is excited about the McHale Park game [against Munster].”

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