British and Irish Lions player Bundee Aki recently shared a surprising story about his wife unexpectedly giving birth to their fifth child in a car while he was away playing in Australia. The Ireland international, participating in his second Lions tour, received the news that his wife went into labor while on her way to the hospital. However, she ended up delivering the baby in the car as her waters broke en route, just before the First Test in Australia.
Aki’s first four children were born under different circumstances, with the latest addition, Aine, arriving in New Zealand while Aki was fulfilling his rugby commitments with the Lions. Despite the joyous news of their newest family member, Aki had not yet met the baby due to his extended time away from home during the tour.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Aki expressed his gratitude to his wife for her strength during the unexpected birth. He recounted the moment when his wife called him from the car, updating him on her progress as she headed to the hospital, ultimately giving birth before reaching the medical facility. Aki was relieved to see both his wife and newborn healthy and well.
Reflecting on the remarkable event, Aki mentioned that he received the news of his daughter’s birth just before the Lions’ First Test match, which they won after a strong performance. He attributed the positive outcome of the game to the good luck brought by the arrival of his fifth child, named Aine, continuing the tradition of all his children having names starting with the letter A.
Despite missing out on a clean sweep in Australia, Aki played in the centers for the Lions in the final match against the Wallabies, who put up a tough fight to secure a victory. The Lions faced a spirited Australian team, with the series already decided in favor of the Lions.