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Hunter Paisami wants match up with Bundee Aki again
By AAP
Hunter Paisami hopes it’s not the last he’ll see of Bundee Aki as the Wallabies wrecking ball dusts himself off from a Lions mauling and returns to camp.
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The Queensland Reds No.12 was immense in the opening stages of Wednesday clash with the tourists, his barging runs and clever kicking helping the hosts to a 12-7 lead.
But the Lions stirred, their defence stiffening and attack clicking in a 52-12 win that followed a 54-7 defeat of the Western Force on Saturday.
He lined up against Irish star Aki who, like Samoa-born Paisami, grew up in Auckland.
Aki, 35, left the Chiefs for Connacht in 2014 and has been in Ireland ever since.
The pair were deep in conversation post-game, catching up for the first time since squaring off on the 2022 Spring Tour.
“I’m a big fan of Bundee,” Paisami, who moved to Melbourne as a teenager, said.
“He’s been in the game for years and what he’s done … it’s always special, always a good challenge to face him.
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“I was living in Auckland, watching the Chiefs … his journey from the Chiefs to where he is now; I’ve always been a fan.”
Paisami, 27, exited Wallabies camp ahead of Sunday’s Test against Fiji to instead face the Lions and will return on Thursday to submit his ‘homework’ to coach Joe Schmidt.
Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shape as the likely midfield pairing against Fiji but Paisami, who has 31 caps, gave Schmidt plenty to ponder.
“For me, coming back to where I love and am happy, it’s at Ballymore. So for me it was a bonus,” he said of playing for the Reds instead of potentially earning a cap against Fiji.
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“For sure (I want to play for the Wallabies against the Lions) and that game there, I got a good taste.
“Joe will be asking questions, where I felt the pressure from.
“So I’ll do my homework so when those questions come I know how to answer them.
“Joe’s just asking me to be myself. Try and bring that same energy from here.”
Reds coach Les Kiss, who will take over from Schmidt at the Wallabies later next year, said he “expected nothing less from Hunter”.
“Both of them (Aki and Paisami) were relishing the contest and Hunter was quality,” he said.
“Got us on the front foot. that’s how we created the momentum. … he was pretty good.”
Lions skipper Maro Itoje, rested against the Force, celebrated his first game in charge with a try while No.7 Jac Morgan was a deserving man of the match.
The Lions will shift camp to Sydney ahead of Saturday’s clash with the NSW Waratahs, coach Andy Farrell confident he has enough depth at fullback after Elliot Daly (forearm) was sent for scans in Brisbane.
The tourists have already lost star Welsh halfback Tomos Williams for the series with a hamstring complaint while Hugo Keenan (illness) was a late withdrawal but is expected to be fit to face the Waratahs.