Bundee Aki Out Of Ireland v France As IRFU Release Strong Statement

Ireland will be without Bundee Aki for three Six Nations games after he received a ban for ‘verbal abuse and disrespect’ towards the match officials during Connacht’s loss to Leinster on Saturday.

The suspension was handed down Wednesday evening. Aki was banned for six games but two of the weeks will be suspended. It means Aki will sit out Connacht’s trip to Zebre this weekend, as well as Ireland’s games against France, Italy and England in the Six Nations.

Head coach Andy Farrell is already managing a squad ravaged with injuries, and now Aki has been added to that list of absentees.

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Aki did not even travelled with Ireland to their training camp in Portugal and Jude Postlethwaite was called up in his place.

There’s a very real chance that the 36-year-old’s vaunted career for Ireland is over.

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Bundee Aki suspended for four games

Aki was involved in multiple exchanges with referee Eoghan Cross after Connacht’s defeat in Galway, and is now facing an investigation into a potential rule breach. He and teammate Jack Carty received a warning from Cross because of excessive chatter.

Then in the 77th minute, Cross then gave Leinster a penalty when Connacht should have had a lineout as Aki continued to have words with Cross.

“Screaming in my face is unacceptable,” Cross said to Aki.

The moment Bundee Aki pushed the ref too far and got himself in trouble / lost his Irish place! – 🔈 on – #URCGO pic.twitter.com/XKX1Rl5Xu7

— Brett Igoe (@brettruganalyst) January 28, 2026

The URC’s statement read:

Connacht Rugby’s Bundee Aki will appear in front of an Independent Disciplinary Committee in relation to a Misconduct Complaint made against him under the URC Disciplinary Rules.

After the Round 10 BKT United Rugby Championship fixture on Saturday, January 24 at Dexcom Stadium, Galway, the Player is alleged to have engaged with the match official team on several occasions in a manner which may be deemed to be in breach of the league’s Disciplinary Rules related to Misconduct (including Clause 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3).

An Independent Disciplinary Committee will meet today (Wednesday, January 28) to consider the complaint in accordance with the URC Disciplinary Rules. Roddy Dunlop KC (Scotland) will serve as Chair, with Attie Heyns (South Africa) and Andrea Caranci (Italy) completing the committee.

The IRFU would soon release a statement on the issue, which confirmed Aki is out of the Ireland squad, and adding that the IRFU has launched its own disciplinary hearing into the incident.

“The IRFU can confirm that Bundee Aki has not travelled with the Men’s senior squad to Portugal for disciplinary reasons,” the statement read.

“The IRFU does not tolerate any form of disrespect shown towards match officials and does not condone actions that fall below the standards expected of players representing Irish rugby.

“The IRFU are investigating the matter further internally and no additional comment will be made at this time.

It will be a major blow to Andy Farrell to be without Aki for the Six Nations.

Though Aki’s form has dipped over the past 12 months, he has been a regular for Andy Farrell over the past number of years.

Further reports on Wednesday suggest that Hugo Keenan is now a major doubt for the Six Nations opener, having sustained a thumb injury in the first training session of Ireland’s training camp in Portugal.

Ruaidhri O’Connor of the Independent reported the news on Wednesday, with Jacob Stockdale now in pole position to start in Paris.

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