Aki's ready to meet lion cub

Bundee returns from winning trip to see his new daughter

- Adam Hathaway

BUNDEE AKI flies home from Australia as a series-winning Lion to greet the baby daughter he has never met.

The Ireland centre became a father for the fifth time when preparing for the first Test against the Wallabies two weeks ago.

Aki’s wife, Kayla, was in New Zealand with family when she went into labour just as the centre was going into a pregame briefing ahead of the 27-19 win in Brisbane.

He came off the bench that day and started the last two Tests, but was itching to meet new arrival Aine after Saturday’s defeat in Sydney.

Aki, 35, said: “Credit to my wife, she’s a powerful and strong woman. I was in the hotel in Brisbane and I knew we were overdue. She calls me and says, ‘My waters haven’t broken but I’m going to the hospital, I’m feeling contractions’. I go, ‘Yeah, fair enough’.