Bundee Aki opens talks with Top 14 giants as no IRFU offer ...

Toulon have reportedly made contact with Ireland star Bundee Aki with a view to bringing him to France ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The gargantuan centre is out of contract at the end of the campaign and is therefore attracting interest from the fiscal powerhouses in the Top 14.

Aki has played some of the best rugby of his career over the past couple of years and was one of the outstanding performers at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

He took that form into 2024 as Ireland once again won the Six Nations title and he will likely be in Andy Farrell’s squad for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2025.

However, the Connacht linchpin is now 34 and will turn 35 before the season is out, which means that he could well be tempted by one final lucrative payday in the south of France.

According to Midi Olympique, Toulon have reached out to the centre as they look to replace Leicester Fainga’anuku, who will move back to New Zealand next year.

The report also states that Samoa international Duncan Paia’aua is also likely to depart, while Mathieu Smaili and Jeremy Sinzelle are coming to the end of their contracts.

Despite Aki’s remarkable displays, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) might be reluctant to hand him another central contract due to his age. Midi claim that he has not yet been offered a new deal by the governing body and recently spoke to Toulon recruiters via a video call.

The French giants, who won the Heineken Cup in three successive years between 2013 and 2015, are looking for a world-class replacement at centre and Aki certainly fits the bill.

Ireland squad winners and losers as Andy Farrell ‘gambles’ on injured veterans, rewards Leinster star but snubs Munster powerhouse

Born in New Zealand, Aki started his professional career in the NPC with Counties Manukau before he featured for two seasons in Super Rugby with the Chiefs.

The midfield powerhouse then made the move to Europe, signing for Connacht and quickly establishing himself as their star player.

After qualifying via World Rugby’s residency laws, Aki made his Ireland debut in 2017 and became a key cog in the squad.

He appeared in both the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, and was especially excellent at the global tournament in France. That resulted in him being nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year, but he eventually lost out to New Zealand’s Ardie Savea.

Following his remarkable World Cup, Aki extended his IRFU contract until the end of the 2024/25 season, but he could now end his time in Ireland by signing for Toulon.

READ MORE: Handre Pollard could join Springboks teammate’s club as mega-money move is tabled