Bundee Aki's wife, position, family, age, awards, biography

Bundee Aki's wife, position, family, age, awards, biography

Grace Waruguru
March 5, 2024 at 3:57 PM

Bundee Aki's wife, life story, and career milestones have piqued the interest of several sports enthusiasts globally. The New Zealand-born athlete has spread his wings far and wide and now represents Ireland. Who is Aki, and what are some exciting details about him?

Bundee Aki hails from Connacht
Bundee Aki is a professional rugby player for Connacht and the Ireland national team. Photo: @bundeeaki (Modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Table of Сontents:

According to Bundee Aki's biography, he was born Fua Leiofi Bundellu Aki and attained the nickname 'Bundee' during his early rugby days. The athlete has built a record of resilience and consistency, traits that have helped him rise to become one of the rugby MVPs. Check out Bundee Aki's wife, biography, and background details in this article.

Bundee Aki's profile and bio summary

Full name

Fua Leiofi Bundellu Aki

Age

33 years old (As of 2024)

Nickname

Bundee

Date of birth

April 7th, 1990

Place of birth

Auckland, Manurewa, New Zealand

Current residence

Galway, Ireland

Nationality

New Zealander

Ethnicity

Samoan

Parents

Hercules and Sautia Aki

Siblings

5

Marital status

Married

Spouse

Kayla Lelemia Bundee

Children

Armani-Jade, Adrianna, Ailbhe, Andronicus

Height

5 feet, 10 inches

Weight

102kgs

Hair colour

Dark brown

Eye colour

Brown

Education

Athlone Institute of Technology

Profession

Professional rugby player

Position

Center

Social media presence

Instagram, X (Twitter)

Who is Bundee Aki's wife?

Who is Bundee Aki married to? The athlete is married to Kayla Aki Bundee, who gained popularity for being the sportsman's wife. Aki has attributed his success in rugby to Kayla, acknowledging her support and presence throughout his journey.

Bundee Aki's top facts
Bundee Aki of Ireland after the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo: Seb Daly (Modified by author)
Source: Original

Kayla is a New Zealand native who moved to Ireland to support her husband's career transition. The pair started dating in 2008 and exchanged vows in 2018. Bundee Aki's wedding took place in their home country. Through an Instagram post, he expressed gratitude to his wife, saying,

After 10 years together I've finally married my soulmate. I've put you through a lot but thanks for always sticking with me.

Children

Bundee and Kayla have four children: Armani-Jade (15), Adrianna (12), Andronicus (3), and Albihe, born in August 2022. Aki has stated that becoming a father as a teenager helped him mature faster and made him more focused on his responsibilities. Speaking to rsvplive.ie, Bundee said,

Becoming a dad at an early age made me realise the responsibilities that I had to deal with, and the maturity that I needed - instead of just being a kid that just runs around trying to cause trouble.
Bundee Aki and his wife
Bundee Aki and his wife Kayla Aki. Photo: @BundeeAki (Modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Bundee Aki's age

Where was Bundee Aki born? He was born in Ōtāhuhu, Auckland, New Zealand. The Irish player was born on April 7th, 1990, making him 33 years old as of February 2024.

Bundee Aki's family

Aki's parents are Hercules and Sautia Aki, who raised him in a rich Samoan culture. They named him Fua Leiofi, while 'Bundellu' was taken after the doctor who delivered him. The player is the second-born among five siblings: One brother and four sisters, whose details have not been disclosed publicly.

Education

The 33-year-old studied at Manurewa High School alongside fellow rugby player and close friend Tim Nanai-Williams, who was one year ahead. He started playing in high school and earned the nickname 'Bundee' from his coach. Later, Aki joined the Athlone Institute of Technology.

Career

Since his earlier years, Aki has honed his rugby skills, earning the attention of fans and stakeholders worldwide. The athlete started his clubbing career with Borneo Eagles in Sabah, East Malaysia, before moving to Counties Manukau in 2011. He helped the team get to the Premiership Division.

Bundee Aki of Ireland before a match
Bundee Aki of Ireland before the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match against France at Orange Velodrome on February 02, 2024, in Marseille, France. Photo: Shaun Botterill (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Before turning to rugby full-time, Bundee worked as a teller at Westpac Bank for one year. He quit the job and joined the Chiefs from 2012 to 2014, participating in the Super Rugby. In 2014, the rugby player signed with Connacht Rugby and relocated to Ireland in time for the 2014/2015 season.

The athlete's international debut came in 2017. He is the first-ever Ireland player to receive two red cards in Test matches: one against Samoa at the 2019 Rugby World Cup and one against England in the 2021 Six Nations. Some of Bundee Aki's awards and achievements include:

  • He won the Six Nations championship with Ireland in 2018.
  • Aki was part of the 2021 British and Lion Tour to South Africa.
  • Bundee was part of Ireland's historic first series win in New Zealand (2022).
  • The athlete won the 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam with Ireland.
  • He was named the Guinness Rugby Writers’ Ireland Player of the Year (2022/2023).

What is Bundee Aki's position?

Aki plays as a center.

Why does Bundee Aki play for Ireland?

Bundee is a New Zealand native who qualifies to represent his country of birth and current country of residence. His eligibility to play for both teams is because of the World Rugby residency rule that allows a player to represent a country after residing there for a specific period (three years).

Bundee Aki is a professional rugby player
Bundee Aki is a professional rugby player for Connacht and the Ireland national team. Photo: Seb Daly (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

What is Bundee Aki's salary?

Bundee's player profile and portfolio have boosted his earnings over the years. Besides taking home several titles and trophies, Bundee earns an impressive salary from his club and national team. According to ruck.co.uk, Bundee earns between £350,000 to £400,000 per season.

He experienced a significant boost after being nominated for the World Player of the Year Award. Bundee Aki's contract with Connacht is valid until 2024/2025. Aki has worked with brands like Adidas as an ambassador.

What is Bundee Aki's Instagram account?

Aki has a vibrant social media lifestyle where he shares personal and career highlights. His Instagram page has over 177k followers (As of February 2024). On X (Twitter), Bundee enjoys a following of over 17k followers.

As he has cited, Bundee Aki's wife and children are integral to his career and his greatest motivation to keep thriving in his sport. His move to Ireland shifted his career to new levels, and the athlete will undoubtedly keep winning as his career continues.

READ ALSO: All about the talented rugby player, Franco Mostert

Sports Brief published the story of Franco Mostert, a South African professional rugby player popularly known as ''Universal Soldier.'' The athlete previously wanted to pursue golfing but decided to focus on rugby. What should you know about Mostert?

He was born in November 1990 and attended Brits High School. Franco is married to Juan-Ri Mostert, and they have three children. The Springboks team member also plays for the Japanese club, Honda Heat. Click on the article above for Franco's complete biography.

Authors
Grace Waruguru photo
Grace Waruguru
Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.
Tags
Rugby World Cup