"I've got your back" - Bundee Aki reveals Ireland's team-talk when "s*** hit the fan" against Springboks

The Springboks have finally brought an end to their 13-year wait for a win in Dublin, as Rassie Erasmus' men triumphed in a gritty 24-13 win. Despite at one stage dropping down to 12 men, with back row James Ryan and out-halves Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley all in the sin bin towards the end of the first half, Ireland held on for a respectable result against the back-to-back World Champions.

Ireland centre Bundee Aki expressed how the side knew it was going to be a tough encounter against the Springboks, yet the side had not expected to take such a numerical disadvantage in Dublin. The Connacht man revealed how the Ireland squad managed to rally back and even win the second half (six points to five) as the game-plan fell apart against the Springboks.

"We knew there was going to be times in the game, you know, s*** is gonna hit the fan. But we look at each other in the eye and be like, 'right, I've got your back. You've got mine. Let's go after it together'. That's all it is. We work as hard as we can as as a group, and that's all we can ask for, is to give everything you've got."

"It was a good challenge." Aki added. "I thought that it's just bloody good stuff there from the boys. They fought from the beginning right to the end. So, look, we have to regroup and go back to our drawing board and have a look at ourselves."

"We knew there were going to be times in the game that adversity is going to hit us. I thought the majority of the time, when things didn't go our way, the boys stood up and kept fighting down to 12 men. [We] kept making it hard for them [South Africa] to cross that line. I think that would stand for us as a group and as a team. Nothing but proud of the boys."

With two years to go until the 2027 Rugby World Cup kicks off across Australia, the Ireland team is mid-way through a cycle that is steadily bringing in fresh faces to Andy Farrell's camp. Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley continue to compete over Johnny Sexton's old 10 jersey, with Aki delighted to see how the fly halves are leading the line, albeit the midfielder would have preferred to have had an out-half on the pitch for the duration against the Springboks.

"I think the two boys, Sam [Prendergast] and Crowler [Jack Crowley - being in the sin bin], man, today, that was a big learning curve for all of us. But those boys stood up, that game is gonna stand for all of us, and especially those young boys. I think the likes of Paddy [McCarthy] coming through he played well when he came on. Cian [Prendergast] coming through, bro, he's just going through the roof.

"Sam [Prendergast] is building confidence at the moment, Tommy O'Brien as well. And all the new caps, honestly, it's unbelievable to see, it's going to stand for us. That kind of experience, you can't get anything better than against the world champions like that. It's unbelievable."

"There is loads of belief in that changing room. We back ourselves to be able to be honest with each other and go again."

Ahead of the clash against the Springboks, Aki had the opportunity to share a few words with the newly elected President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly. Taking to the Aviva Stadium turf for the first time in her electoral career, Connolly shared some Galway inspired words of encouragement with Aki ahead of the match.

"It was good to be able to meet her. She was like 'Up Connacht!', so yeah, I said 'fair enough, up Connacht for sure'. So, much respect and it was absolutely delightful to be able to meet the president of Ireland that was awesome."

Turning his attention back to his province, Aki is excited to get back into his Galway green and black with a solid block of URC and European fixtures to get stuck into. Connacht host the Durban Sharks this Saturday to reignite their URC league form, before their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign gets underway in December on the road against the Ospreys.

"We're finished this Autumn Nations Series now, close that book for now. I need to put my best foot forward for Connacht, I need to be able to be playing well and giving the best for the team, and put my hand up wherever I can, and hopefully be back [with Ireland]."