Photo: Stefano Delfrate / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Bundee Aki is a player I find genuinely fascinating as a story about identity in modern rugby. Born in Otahuhu, New Zealand, of Samoan heritage, he qualified for Ireland on residency and became an Irish citizen in 2024 while keeping dual citizenship. As a centre at Connacht he plays with a physicality that's hard to ignore, and I think his journey says a lot about how international rugby actually works now. The residency route still sparks debate, but watching him commit so fully to Irish rugby, I came away seeing him less as a transplant and more as someone who earned his place.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bundee Aki
- Name (Japanese)
- バンディー・アキ
- Reading
- ばんでぃー・あき
- Born
- April 7, 1990 (age 36)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Horse
- Origin
- Ōtāhuhu, New Zealand
- Height
- 178 cm
- Occupation
- rugby union player
2. Background
- High school
- Manurewa High School
- University
- University of Auckland
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Bundee Aki born?
Born April 7, 1990 (age 36).
Where is Bundee Aki from?
Bundee Aki is from Ōtāhuhu, New Zealand.
What does Bundee Aki do?
Bundee Aki works as rugby union player.
How tall is Bundee Aki?
Bundee Aki is 178 cm.
Rugby union player — see all → · More people from New Zealand →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.