Bundee Aki and Pat Lam were men in demand at last night’s Irish Rugby Union Players Association awards.
The Connacht centre and coach are part of a wonderful tale, this season, that sees them back in the Champions Cup and targeting their first ever Guinness PRO12 title.
Both men were called up on-stage to receive an award for a moment rugby supporters voted as the most memorable from 2015/16 – their first ever win over Munster at Thomond Park.
Lam had the crowd rapt with his tales on his early months in Galway. He remarked:
“When I first arrived at The Sportsground, I thought ‘Oh… a dog track’.”
Lam is referring to the fact that Connacht share their ground with greyhounds and those that avidly follow the sport.
He joked that he did not mention the dog track when he was selling the province to Aki when he was a Super Rugby star with Waikato Chiefs.
'Bundee is a Connacht man. You can truly say he’s a Connacht man' https://t.co/23SPUUEWDX
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 17, 2016
The track stood out for Aki too but he explained how his new teammates helped him settle in quickly. Asked how quickly he was introduced to local watering hole Busker Brown’s, Aki said:
“Oh, on about the second night. There’s An Pucan [bar] too. We’re in there every weekend.”
No doubt Aki and the Connacht lads are in there for the fine culinary fare on offer.
Awards photo credit: Ramsey Cardy (Sportsfile)
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