Should Leinster go after Bundee Aki?

[simonokeeffe]

He may not want to stay out West any more

[Raydollard]

Probably will move much further east

[simonokeeffe]

Probably will move much further east

Irishtown?

[curates_egg]

Why? We don't need him. I'd rather we invest in the promising young centre partnership we now have and their junior understudy did very well against Aki in the RDS.

Also, as far as I understood, he has just signed a new contract and Irish provinces can't outbid each other, so it is all moot.

Also, I would doubt he would come to us for various reasons. If he wants to leave Connacht, he could get much more money in England or France. I'm also sure the unsympathetic (to put it extremely mildly) comments from a former recent Leinster player about him very recently would have soured any positive impression he might have of Leinster.

For both parties, I don't see the point of this thread.

[simonokeeffe]

Why wouldnt we want an IQ top class player?

Whole thing is predicated on him being unsettled/sold out over Lam leaving. Munster were after him before. Conway and Kelleher showed contracts dont matter. If he wants to leave they cant force him to stay and many would like to keep him in Irish rugby

You can say no but saying its a pointless thread is a bit cranky

[Dave Cahill]

Firstly, its not moot. Pat Lam was under contract, Cian Kelleher was under contract - contracts aren't worth the paper they're written on if the parties are willing to treat.

Secondly, he signed a new contract, only after significant emergency negotiations led by Lam, having signalled his intention to leave Connacht. Lam is gone now and Aki is 'pissed'

Lastly, we don't need him? Really? Bundee Aki? There is not a single team in Europe that would not take Bundee Aki given the chance and with him being so close to being IQ, the Irish teams would be foremost among them

[curates_egg]

Lastly, we don't need him? Really? Bundee Aki? There is not a single team in Europe that would not take Bundee Aki given the chance and with him being so close to being IQ, the Irish teams would be foremost among them

He's a great player. It would be great to have a player like him. Has brought so much more to Connacht than the player we signed at the same time.
But we do not "need" him.
It would be a luxury to have him, Henshaw and Ringrose but it would lead to one of the latter two missing out, or being played elsewhere to accommodate.

It also certainly seems moot to me though because, even if he were to break contract, do you really think he would do so to move to Dublin?
Would it also not break the IRFU's rules if he were to do so? Yes, they allowed Kelleher to do so, but this is a whole different ball park.

[curates_egg]

You can say no but saying its a pointless thread is a bit cranky

My apologies. I didn't mean to be cranky.
You should put the question to the former player I referred to though. His response would put mine in a whole nother context.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Exactly who and what are you referring to when talking about the "former Leinster player"CE?

[Peg Leg]

Exactly who and what are you referring to when talking about the "former Leinster player"CE?

And what did he say?

[neiliog93]

Don't need him at all.

[simonokeeffe]

You can say no but saying its a pointless thread is a bit cranky

My apologies. I didn't mean to be cranky.
You should put the question to the former player I referred to though. His response would put mine in a whole nother context.

No worries

Darcy? Doesnt work for Leinster so nuts to him.

Personally speaking if Aki wanted to leave Connacht but stay in Irish rugby we should be all over him. If Henshaw plays some games at fullback or Ringrose on wing so be it

[ChrisUppy]

Sure we don't "need" him. But give me a 12/13/15 of Aki/Ringrose/Henshaw over Henshaw/Ringrose/Kearney any day

[curates_egg]

I won't go into detail but there was a very unpleasant strong allusion at a recent public event.

As to your question Simon: if he were (a) leaving Connacht, and (b) staying in Ireland, I would obviously want him here.
As for (a), I've been pretty sceptical of the Connacht charity cause over the years but I feel they have earned the right not to get totally screwed, plus the opprobrium if he came to us would be unbearable, so I suppose I hope it doesn't happen.
If he does leave though, I just can't imagine him staying in Ireland. Money talks and I think we would be kidding ourselves to believe it really is his burning passion to play for Ireland. He has talked the talk in Galway but he has also made it clear he is a pretty proud Kiwi.

[Xanthippe]

..

[CiaranIrl]

Exactly who and what are you referring to when talking about the "former Leinster player"CE?

And what did he say?

He might be talking about Fitzgerald droning out about project players or something.

Whoever he is talking about, it would be irrelevant to Aki's decision whether or not to come here. ALMOST as irrelevant as this discussion about something that would never be allowed to happen.

[simonokeeffe]

Why would it never be allowed? If Aki wants out of Connacht but wants to play international rugby his options are Leinster or Munster. If he wanted to come here dony see why he would be stopped (by Nucifora)

[Flash Gordon]

Why would it never be allowed? If Aki wants out of Connacht but wants to play international rugby his options are Leinster or Munster. If he wanted to come here dony see why he would be stopped (by Nucifora)

Or Ulster, there you'd be playing outside an international outhalf.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Bristol in for him......If I were him I'd be thinking "I tried to do the right thing by the club and my mates and I got focked over" - in which case, I'd be tempted to go for the money so either head to England/France or go back to NZ and have a crack at an All Blacks spot. But I'm not Bendee Aki.

[simonokeeffe]

Ulster are falling over centres as it is

Other clubs will be after him but I think Bristol is out; if hes peeved at Lam for leaving/possibly reneging on promises why would he hook up with him at Bristol?

At risk of undermining my own premise does anyone know if hes eligible for Samoa or anything?

[Dave Cahill]

I'd be tempted to go for the money so either head to England/France or go back to NZ and have a crack at an All Blacks spot. But I'm not Bendee Aki.

He wouldn't get 'the money' though - he'd be just more islander cannon fodder. The guys who get the money are Internationals and Bundee isn't playing international rugby for anyone except Ireland and Samoa for the short and medium term and Samoa don't have two cents to rub together. If he's after the money he's staying in Ireland.