British and Irish Lions standout Bundee Aki has revealed a surprising story about the birth of his fifth child while he was in Australia. Aki, who was in the midst of his second Lions tour Down Under, shared that his wife unexpectedly gave birth to their newest family member in the car on the way to the hospital. The unusual delivery occurred shortly before the First Test in Australia a little over two weeks ago.
Aki’s previous children were born differently – the first in a hospital and the next three at home. However, this time, his wife, Kayla, welcomed their latest addition, Aine, in the back seat of a car in New Zealand while Aki was away representing the Lions.
Following the Lions’ triumph in ending a 12-year wait for a series victory, Aki disclosed that he had not yet met his newest child, a fact he had kept private during the final weeks of the tour.
In an interview with the BBC, Aki shared the dramatic sequence of events leading to the unexpected birth: his wife initially called him while he was at the team hotel, informing him of her contractions and imminent hospital visit. As the situation rapidly escalated, she eventually gave birth in the car en route to the hospital, capturing the moment via video call.
Despite missing the start of the First Test, Aki joined the game in the 57th minute as the Lions secured a 27-19 win. He mentioned that the news of his child’s birth gave him a sense of good luck or “Juju,” which he believed contributed to their successful day on the field.
Reflecting on his expanding family, Aki humorously noted that all his children have names starting with the letter ‘A,’ with the latest addition, Aine, joining siblings Armani, Adrianna, Andronicus, and Ailbhe.
In the subsequent match, Aki paired with Huw Jones in the centers as the Lions narrowly missed a clean sweep in Australia, with the Wallabies delivering a spirited performance to claim victory in Sydney.
