Bundee Aki hails Ireland's resilience as he picks up prestigious Players' award

Bundee Aki has paid tribute to Ireland's resilience in bouncing back from the World Cup to win the 2024 Six Nations.

Connacht centre Aki was commenting after receiving the BDO Ireland Men’s XVs Players’ Players of the Year award at the Rugby Players Ireland awards in Dublin tonight.

It was voted for by his peers in the game after he was nominated for both World Rugby Player of the Year and Six Nations Player of the Championship, and he beat Leinster pair Jamison Gibson-Park and Dan Sheehan to the award after they were also shortlisted.

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“I’m honoured to be recognised by my fellow Rugby Players Ireland members as their Player of the Year," said Aki. "It has been bittersweet but when I look back on the season, I won’t think about the results or awards.

"Instead, I’ll look back with pride at being part of such a resilient group, and the way we bounced back after the disappointment of the Rugby World Cup.

"Individual awards are fantastic, but this one would not have been possible without Jamison, Dan or any of my Irish or Connacht teammates for pushing me along.”

It was also a special night for Aoife Wafer, who picked up the Strata Financial Women’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year and Energia Women’s XVs Young Player of the Year.

Leinster's Wafer, 21, made a massive splash at Test level this year after returning from a long injury lay-off. The Wexford back row was a talismanic figure in Ireland's third place finish in the Six Nations, a result that qualified Scott Beman's side for the Rugby World Cup.

She was nominated for the Six Nations Player of the Championship on the back of making five line-breaks - the most of any player outside the England squad - and she was Ireland's second highest try scorer.

Wafer said: “The past few months have been the highlight of my career to date. I find it hard to believe, given where I was not very long ago.

"While I was happy with the way I played on a personal level, I really fed off the energy of the wider squad. We are an extremely close group. We back each other on the good days, and especially on the bad. I feel we have turned a big page in our journey this year and I look forward to seeing where we can go together as a team.”

Aoife Wafer celebrates after Ireland beat Scotland in their final 2024 Six Nations game to qualify for the World Cup
(Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)

Following his retirement, Keith Earls was named as the Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award winner, while Conor Murray presented former Rugby Players Ireland Chairperson Johnny Sexton with a portrait piece on behalf of the players’ association’s membership.

There were strong contenders in the mix for the Mercedes-Benz Ballsbridge Men’s XVs Try of the Year but it was Craig Casey’s effort against Leinster Rugby at the Aviva Stadium which prevailed to claim this year’s acknowledgement.

However, Leinster claimed one back over their provincial rivals with Joe McCarthy named as the Nevin Spence Men’s XVs Young Player of the Year ahead of Munster's Tom Ahern and Jack Crowley, who was last year's winner.

Bundee Aki with Deirdre Lyons
(Image: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo)

Zac Ward who was named as the TritonLake Men’s 7s Players’ Player of the Year 2024 with Megan Burns the TritonLake Women’s 7s Players’ Player of the Year. Katie Corrigan scooped the AIB Corporate Banking Women’s XVs Try of the Year, with Ireland’s Six Nations winning campaign voted as the Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort Moment of the Year.

RPI chairperson Peter O'Mahony commented: “As always, it’s a huge honour to come together and look back on what has been another successful campaign for Irish Rugby.

"While many thought it would be one of transition, I have found that even as players have moved on, we always seem to have somebody ready to step up thanks to the empowering support of the likes of Rugby Players Ireland who continue to equip our players with the skills to thrive both on and off the field.”

Bundee Aki.
(Image: Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher)

Simon Keogh, CEO of RPI, added: “A Rugby Players Ireland Award represents the highest individual accolade in the game. To be recognised by your teammates and opponents in this way is the ultimate show of respect.

"My congratulations to Bundee, Aoife, Zac, Megan and all of our winners tonight. Our game is in a good place.”

BDO IRELAND MEN’S XVs PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Bundee Aki Connacht Rugby

Jamison Gibson-Park Leinster Rugby

Dan Sheehan Leinster Rugby

STRATA FINANCIAL WOMEN’S XVs PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster Rugby)

Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht Rugby)

Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)

NEVIN SPENCE MEN’S XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Tom Ahern (Munster Rugby)

Jack Crowley (Munster Rugby)

Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby)

ENERGIA WOMEN’s XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster Rugby)

Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster Rugby)

Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)

MERCEDES-BENZ BALLSBRIDGE MEN’S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR 2024

Craig Casey v Leinster Rugby

James Lowe v Scotland

Calvin Nash v France

AIB CORPORATE BANKING WOMEN’S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR 2024

Katie Corrigan v Italy

Katie Corrigan v Wales

Aoife Wafer v Wales

TRITONLAKE MEN’S 7s PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Terry Kennedy

Harry McNulty

Zac Ward

TRITONLAKE WOMEN’S 7s PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Megan Burns

Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe

Béibhinn Parsons

ZURICH CONTRIBUTION TO IRISH SOCIETY AWARD 2024

Keith Earls

DRUIDS GLEN HOTEL & GOLF RESORT MOMENT ON THE YEAR 2024

Ireland’s 2024 Six Nations Campaign

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