Johnny Sexton reveals with Rieko that Ioane actually told him after World Cup defeat

Johnny Sexton was undoubtedly the most controversial Irish rugby player during his 17 years at the top of the game, with no other Irish star facing as many calls to retire as him.

Although Sexton’s near-steady improvement may have been enough to silence his critics on this island, the former Ireland half-back took umbrage at the way a New Zealand star spoke to him at the end of his decorated career.

Sexton is of course referring to his infamous argument with New Zealander Rieko Ioane following Ireland’s defeat to the All Blacks in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final, when he and Ioane became involved in a heated encounter after the eighty-minute battle that saw New York. Zealand wins 28-24.

While the rhetoric that followed the incident tended to hold Sexton responsible for the post-match encounter, the revelations in his book Obsessed which is due to be published next month, and extracts of which were published today in the Sunday Times, paints a completely different picture.

@rugbyworldcup There must be a winner and a loser 🤝 #rugby #IREvNZL #RWC2023 ♬ To build a house – 𝙇𝙭𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙯 🫶🏻

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The now infamous encounter occurred just after the final whistle when Wayne Barnes awarded a controversial late-match penalty to Sam Whitelock for poaching when it appeared the New Zealand star had never released Ronan Kelleher.

Angered by the decision, Sexton who was captain at the time, did not move back the usual ten yards but instead hung around to discuss the matter with Barnes, much to the dismay of Rieko Loane who, according to Sexton, was shouting at him to to move back. , despite the game’s inevitable ending.

Speaking about what happened when Barne’s whistled for the tournament-ending penalty, Sexton said:

I stand there with my hands on my hips, looking at Barnes in disbelief, Rieko Ioane still comes up to me and says, “Go back ten meters. “Penalty,” he said. “Back ten.”

Then, after Barnes blew the final whistle, he said, “Don’t miss your flight tomorrow.” Enjoy your retirement, asshole.

So much for the All Blacks’ famous “no assholes” policy. So much for their humility. I walk after Ioane and call him a fake-humble asshole. Doesn’t seem great to try one of these right after losing. But I can’t be expected to ignore it.

Sexton’s explanation most certainly changes the narrative that emerged in the aftermath of the match.

Although the public may not have been aware, Sexton revealed that he contacted then-New Zealand coach Joe Schmidt to explain his post-match actions after Schmidt was particularly graceful in victory.

Sexton also paid tribute to New Zealanders Scott, Beauden and Jordie Barrett as well as Ardie Savea, who were all gracious in defeat and had “nice words” for the retired Irish star.

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