"It’s a huge occasion but I’m trying not to treat it as a big occasion but just what I’d do in a normal week," said Bundee Aki as Ireland prepare to take on South Africa in a vital Rugby World Cup match on Saturday night.
For Aki, it will be an extra special game as he will win his 50th Ireland cap. The 33-year-old moved from New Zealand to Connacht in 2014 and made his Ireland debut three years later.
"Obviously it’s the world champions but for myself and my family, it’s a huge honour to pull on the jersey 50 times," he said.
"I don’t take it lightly. Every time you put on that the jersey, you try to play the best you can and put your best foot forward.
"To be able to get to 50 is probably like getting to 100 [for someone else]. 50 is a big number and I know how hard it is to get to 100. I’m just quite lucky to be able to put on this jersey for a 50th time and I’ll look forward to it.
"I’m trying to take the emotion out of it and just focus on what I need to do – be the best player I can for my teammates."
20 September 2023; Bundee Aki, left, and Garry Ringrose during an Ireland rugby media conference at the Paxton Spa Hotel Paris in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
The inside centre has been in superb form for Ireland at the Rugby World Cup, scoring four tries across the games against Romania and Tonga.
"Just the environment and the group we have," he said when asked about what has influenced his current form.
"I am just quite lucky to get on the end of some of those tries, after the way some of the boys set up the ball for us and make our jobs a lot easier than normal. Everyone is doing a good job and I am lucky enough to be on the end of it.
"I think the S&C [strength and conditioning] crew put a good programme together for us in pre-season. It’s a big difference from 2019 anyway, from the way I was.
"‘Faz’ told me straightway not to go back there! But I’m in good nick, thanks to the S&C group and the programme they put us through."
19 March 2022; Bundee Aki, left, and Garry Ringrose of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Scotland at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Aki's centre partner Garry Ringrose said everyone in the squad "is unbelievably happy to see him get to 50, for him and his family".
"When he first came over, he captured everyone’s hearts at Connacht but he has also done that from the moment he put on the Irish jersey," Ringrose added.
"It couldn’t be more deserved and I consider myself lucky to play alongside him and I know the other centres would say the exact same thing.”
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