Bundee Aki dropped and facing hearing just days before Six Nations

Bundee Aki has missed Ireland’s training camp in Portugal in order to appear before an independent disciplinary committee following a misconduct complaint after Connacht’s 23-34 loss to Leinster at the weekend in the United Rugby Championship.

The Connacht centre 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” following his side’s defeat to their Irish rivals in Galway on Saturday.

This came after a match where referee Eoghan Cross penalised the veteran for repeatedly confronting him after coming on from the bench. “If I hear 22 or 23 speaking again, they’re going to be penalised,” Cross could be heard saying to Connacht captain Cian Prendergast before following up on his warning.

This will leave Andy Farrell left sweating over his centre’s availability, as any ban could rule him out of the opening rounds of the Guinness Six Nations, with Ireland getting their campaign started on Thursday, February 5, against France in Paris.

Ulster’s uncapped centre Jude Postlethwaite has replaced Aki in the Ireland squad in Portugal.

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A URC statement reads: “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.”