It was probably the most discussed debut of any Irish player. The path of Bundee Aki to his first cap arrived amid a hail of criticism over the residency rules that allowed him wear an Irish shirt after three years of living in the country.
As it was, Joe Schmidt came out afterward the match and described Aki as “superb”.
MORE STORIES:
-
The latest news on Jonathan Davies injury
-
Georgia score INCREDIBLE try against Canada
-
England player ratings vs Argentina
-
Joe Launchbury linked with move away from Wasps
His work in defence and the way he set the tone for Ireland with a huge tackle in the opening minute on South African prop Coenie Oosthuizen defined Aki’s opening chapter with Ireland.