PETE Wilkins has given a major update on Bundee Aki’s fitness ahead of the province’s URC clash against Scarlets.
The centre hasn’t played since sustaining a knee injury in Ireland’s first summer test against South Africa during a bruising 27-20 defeat in Pretoria.
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Connacht have won one and lost one from the opening couple of fixtures this season, and will be desperate to get the talisman back in the side.
Auckland-born Aki will be available for selection in a major boost to the Westerners.
He is in contention to play at Parc y Scarlets after sitting out the first two games of the season against Munster and Sharks.
Speaking to RTE ahead of Friday night’s clash, Connacht boss Wilkins is over the moon to have the Ireland centre back.
He said: “Bundee is certainly the man that models that for ourselves and for Ireland, and it’ll be really important on a Friday night game away from home in West Wales.
“It’s not somewhere for the faint-hearted, and it’s not somewhere you can go and be at 60 or 70% intensity.
“That talisman effect that Bundee has on the group, the energy he brings, the edge he brings, not just as I said in his own game.
“But the 14 or the 22 other guys around him. That’ll be very important to us.”
The Irish province won on their last visit to away to Scarlets but trips to the Welsh side in that past have been tough.
Connacht lost their previous 11 games at the venue before the win two seasons ago.