Bundee Aki's "winner takes all" moment comes down to deciding Test
Bundee Aki will partner Robbie Henshaw in the centres for Saturday's crucial third Test
©INPHO
Bundee Aki will earn his first British and Irish Lions Test cap on Saturday and it comes in the series decider.
The 31-year-old is one of six changes to the team that lost the second Test against the Springboks last weekend. The inside centre said he was “delighted to get the nod” and that he will "do what he needs to do to help out his team.”
When asked what he can specifically offer the Lions, he responded with the “games not going to revolve around me”, which is true, but Aki’s role in the side could actually be crucial if the Lions are to be successful.
Aki is a player who has been brought in to try and defend up against South Africa’s monster inside centre Damian De Allende, according to his own coach Warren Gatland.
He will always be pivotal in attack in giving the backs front foot ball with his own carries and doing that unselfish role for the team of running into a South African defence, which is probably like hurtling into a wall.
However, if he fails to dent the Boks, it could be a tough day for Gatland’s men to play running rugby.
In the centre alongside Aki will be his good friend Robbie Henshaw, with the two Ireland internationals playing 15 Test matches together.
This experience should be invaluable to the Lions. In the last two Tests with Elliot Daly and Chris Harris partnering Henshaw, it hasn’t really clicked and the South African partnership of Lukhanyo Am and De Allende has been more dominant in the midfield.
Let’s hope that Aki, now with Henshaw, can match the physicality and do some damage themselves with their ball carrying abilities. Henshaw has been putting in the work by himself in the last two weeks, but with Aki back in the team, they could really come together to give themselves and others a platform to attack from.
For Aki, this start in the deciding match of the series is the icing on the cake as in the last few months with the Lions, he said: “I’ve had the best time of my life with this group.”
In the previous weeks when being left out of the matchday squad, Aki has been one of the most supportive players in the team, and he admitted he was told to calm down during the second Test given his passion from the stands.
The strong team bond the players on this tour clearly have could give all of them that extra motivation to clinch this series at the weekend because the game on Saturday, as Aki said himself, is ‘winner takes all’.
Watch the latest episode of Whistle Watch below with Nigel Owens as he reacts to the second Test between the British and Irish Lions & South Africa.
