Ireland centre Bundee Aki may receive some special attention from his compatriots during the haka on Saturday.
Aki moved to Connacht from the Waikato Chiefs in 2014 and declared for Ireland last year after qualifying for his adopted country on residency rule grounds.
Aki played with both Brodie Retallick and Anton Lienert-Brown at the Chiefs and may be singled out by some All Blacks after former Wellington Hurricanes captain Brad Shields was targeted during the haka before New Zealand’s 16-15 win over England last weekend.
Shields, who qualified for England last year through his parents, turned down the opportunity to tour with the All Blacks last year citing his desire to play for England.
He was subsequently targeted by New Zealand hooker Dane Coles during the haka who specifically tried to single out Shields during the All Blacks rendition of Kapa O Pango.
“I didn’t take my eyes off him, I found him and I just looked straight at him,” Coles told Stuff.co.nz of his former teammate. “We locked eyes the whole haka. He wasn’t giving me much, and I was going pretty hard out; it was a good little moment.”
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen said earlier this year that Kiwi players have to show more resilience and patience in waiting for their opportunities with the All Blacks and that they must persevere until they get their chance.
“That’s the thing about the All Blacks – you’ve got to stay resilient because you are always up against someone else as good if not a little better,” Hansen said in May upon Shields departure to join the England squad ahead of their summer tour of South Africa.
“If you are not prepared to wait for the opportunity and keep working at it you are not going to get it.
“That’s my point to the people who have missed out today – we used 54 players last year and we won’t just use 33 this year.
“Someone will get an opportunity and if they mentally stay in the game, stay in the fight through being resilient with how they prepare and how they play on game day, they will get that opportunity.”
Aki said last year that everyone is entitled to their own opinion on his international allegiance but that he has thick skin and only values making an impression on the teammates around him.
“I just wanted to do the best I could to put in a performance for the boys around me because they are the guys who I will be playing with,” Aki said last year. “The boys around me made me feel welcome. I am one of them. I have thick skin.
“It’s all about the guys around you and making sure that you are impressing the coaches as well.”
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