As expected, Bundee Aki has signed a new one-year central contract with the IRFU and will remain with Connacht until the end of the 2025/26 season, while James Ryan has penned a three-year deal that keeps the secondrow at Leinster until the end of the 2027-28 season.
Despite reported interest from France, the Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins had always confidently expressed the belief that the IRFU would exercise their option of a one-year extension on Aki’s existing deal and so it has come to pass.
Since making his debut against South Africa in 2017, Aki has been an influential figure in Ireland’s midfield, winning 60 Test caps in green and most recently featuring in three of Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series matches.
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Aki has won three Six Nations titles with Ireland, including two Grand Slams, and in 2023 was nominated for the World Rugby Men’s XVs Player of the Year award.
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Now in his 10th season with Connacht since joining from the Chiefs in New Zealand, the Ireland centre has made 142 appearances for the province since his arrival in Galway in 2014. He famously helped Connacht to their Pro 12 title success in 2016, and his commitment to Irish rugby is a further boost for Wilkins’s side.
Commenting on the announcement, Aki said: “I am delighted to extend my contract with the IRFU and am excited about competing for Ireland and Connacht for the coming seasons. I love playing rugby in Ireland and believe that this is the right environment for me to progress as a player. I would like to thank the IRFU for their support and I’m excited for what the future holds in green in the years ahead.”
IRFU performance director, David Humphreys, added: “Bundee has displayed a consistently high level of performance for club and country in recent years and we are delighted to extend his deal. We believe that Bundee has a lot more to offer on the field and has a big role in helping to develop the next batch of exciting youngsters out West in Connacht and within the wider Ireland panel.”
Ryan becomes the third high-profile Leinster player to sign a new deal in 24 hours after props Tadhg Furlong and Andrew Porter agreed two-year extension on Monday.
The 28-year-old has made 89 appearances for Leinster and has won 67 Test caps for Ireland since making his Test debut against USA in June 2017.
Ryan has won three Six Nations titles with Ireland and four Pro 12/Pro 14 titles and a Champions Cup crown with Leinster.
Ryan said: “I am delighted to sign a new contract with Leinster and commit my long-term future to the IRFU. Playing in ambitious set-ups is a big driver for me personally and I know how committed everyone in Irish Rugby is to work hard and achieve success.
“It is a privilege to play for my home province and my country and, with the talent coming through the academy systems, I am excited about what the future holds in blue and green.”
Humphreys said: “James has been a mainstay of the Leinster and Ireland engine rooms over the last number of seasons, and it is a huge boost for both teams that he will continue his rugby career in Ireland.
“James has displayed consistency and talent for many years which, allied to his leadership skills, means that Ireland has successfully retained another important player within our system. We believe that James’s best years are ahead of him and look forward to watching him progress in the seasons to come.”
