Ireland legend Johnny Sexton has explained why he got involved in a war of words with the All Blacks after last year’s Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final, revealing what New Zealand ace Rieko Ioane said to him after the defeat in Paris.
Writing in his autobiography, he said that Ioane told him “don’t miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, you c***.”
Sexton responded by calling Ioane “a fake-humble f*****”.
“It doesn’t look great, me having a go at one of them just after we’ve lost. But I can’t be expected to ignore that.”
Writing in Obsessed, The Autobiography, the former Ireland captain added that he had not watched the quarter-final defeat back because he had mentally replayed “every second, over and over”, expressing incredulity at referee Wayne Barnes’ decision to not penalise Sam Whitelock for what Sexton deemed to be an illegal turnover in what proved to be the final play of an exhausting final attack by Ireland.
Ireland’s Jonathan Sexton and New Zealand’s Rieko Ioane exchange pleasantries at the Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
“Whitelock goes in for the poach, clearly without releasing, but somehow Wayne Barnes awards him the penalty, even though it has all happened under his nose − and it’s all over,” writes Sexton.
The loss marked the end of Sexton’s career, with the fly-half revealing that the Barrett brothers playing for New Zealand − Beauden, Jordie and Scott − were “real gentlemen”, while Ardie Savea had offered “some lovely words of consolation for me. I appreciated that.”
Ireland’s Johnny Sexton of Ireland runs at New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Stade de France last October. Photo: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images
Despite the quarter-final defeat, which continued Ireland’s poor record at men’s Rugby World Cups, having never reached the semi-finals, Sexton noted that he remained convinced Ireland were the best side at the tournament and did not play to their optimum against New Zealand.
“I’m still convinced that we were the best team at the tournament, that our world ranking was accurate. I know I’m biased. And I know that South Africans − and others − will tell me to look in the record books. But it wouldn’t be the first time that the best side in a sports tournament didn’t end up winning it.”
Although Sexton no longer plays for Ireland, Andy Farrell’s men are set for a reunion with Ioane on November 8 when they take on New Zealand in Dublin in the Autumn International Series.