1
'Bad as it gets': Sexton teammate holds nothing back slamming Ioane
By Josh Raisey
Former Ireland hooker James Tracy has labelled All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane’s treatment of Johnny Sexton after their World Cup quarter-final encounter last year as “as low as you can get”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Details of the pair’s fracas after the final whistle of the All Blacks’ victory came to light recently in an extract of Sexton’s soon-to-be-released autobiography Obsessed in The Sunday Times.
A verbal back-and-forth between the Irishman and the Kiwi was visible for any viewers at the time, but Sexton has now provided his account of the events that unfolded.
“I couldn’t bring myself to watch the quarter-final back,” Sexton, who was consigned to retirement upon the ending of the match, wrote.
“I don’t think I ever will. I don’t need to. I’ve mentally replayed every second, over and over. It finishes the same way every time. Rónan Kelleher still ploughs into Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. 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.
“And as I stand there, hands on hips, staring in disbelief at Barnes, Rieko Ioane still comes up to me and tells me, ‘Get back ten metres.’
“’Huh?’
“’Penalty,’ he says. ‘Back ten.’ And then, after Barnes blows the final whistle, he says, ‘Don’t miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, you c**t.’ So much for the All Blacks’ famous ‘no dickheads’ policy. So much for their humility. I walk after Ioane and call him a fake-humble f***er. 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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Later, I got in touch with Joe Schmidt to explain my behaviour. Joe was part of the All Blacks’ coaching team and we go back a long way. Typically, he’d been gracious in victory that night. He took time to say nice things to Luca, on the pitch, shortly after the game. The Barrett brothers — Beauden, Scott and Jordie — were real gentlemen, too, as was Ardie Savea, who had some lovely words of consolation for me. I appreciated that.”
Sexton’s former Leinster and Ireland teammate James Tracy recently backed his fly-half up on Off the Ball, describing the All Black’s actions as a “low blow”.
“Whatever about what happens on the field and how you feel about a certain player and everything like that, what he’s done for the game, never mind Irish rugby, is something you respect whether you like the person or not,” the six-cap Ireland international said.
“If you don’t like him, just don’t say anything to him. You’ve just beaten him on the biggest stage, in the biggest moment, and you know they’re done. You had every opportunity every time you played them to take their head off if you don’t like them.
ADVERTISEMENT
“If Johnny had said something chirpy to him first, then if he responded that way that’s fair game. Take as many shots as you want at that moment, he opens the floor.
“Especially in the context that they’ve thrown the kitchen sink, they can barely walk, and everything that they’ve done for Irish rugby and rugby in general, then just to have that low blow.
“If the cameras are on, he’s sweeping the sheds, he’s front of camera.
“It’s as low as you can get.
“Not all of the New Zealand rugby players are like that, and that’s well known, but I thought that was as bad as it gets in terms of trying to claim that you’re humble and no dickheads and all that stuff.”
Was this guy really a team mate? Sexton probably should have "formerly" been a Irish player at that point too if were on that branch.
Sexton loved to dish it out but can't take it back. Sorry Jonny, nobody gives a $h!t. He needs to grow a pair and stop being so sour.
Its not about Sexton, Ioane, Retallick, O'Mahony, Foster and Cane.
Its about NZ the rugby nation being deeply disrespectful to Ireland and Irish supporters after the final whistle.
Humble teams don't mock beaten opponents and their supporters:arrogant teams do.
Jeez this type of chirp happens every week in rugby. Club games, provincial games, internationals. Who gives a toss?
If a few Irish lads called NZ playesr c***s after the third test in Wellington and then went over and started abusing the Irish crowd, then Kiwis would give a toss pretty quickly.
Abusing beaten players and their supporters has never happenned before in the history of the RWC.
Humble teams don't mock beaten opponents and their supporters: arrogant teams do.
If Reiko has achieved anything it's to live rent free in the heads of many bitter Irishmen.
Not at all. We just think youre an arrogant entitled rugby nation now who think there wont be consequences for abusing Ireland greats and Irish spectators after the final whistle in Paris.
The article is under discussion. Well be taking about something else tomorrow but we will have banked that you're arrogant and entitled. All good.
"After the quarter-final, All Blacks coach Ian Foster and captain Sam Cane offered their praise for Sexton and his career in their post-match interviews.
“We know how much it hurts, but when we reflect on his career, we see how great he has been for Ireland. He is great at decision-making, and he plays an outstanding game, and the fact that he has been playing at this level proves it. Congratulations on his outstanding career,” Foster said.
“He’s been massively successful for them. If we hadn’t won, we would have a number of iconic players we would be saying goodbye to, too."
From the NZ Herald record of that game. But no..lets get worked up by one classless slagging by one player...Ioane
Yeah, let's not get worked up by Sexton's classless public crybabying.
Foster an Cane’s comments = Real Class. Real sportsmanship.
Which is ironic if one considers how much Foster (and Cane) were not respected by their own public towards the end.
The bottom line is respect is earned through behavior. Not results. But that doesn’t even guarantee that respect will be shown to anyone.
You seem to have forgotten this from the NZ Herald.
'''All Blacks captain Sam Cane thought Ioane had done nothing wrong, saying it was “a little bit” of different players and personalities coming out.
“So, yeah, when you are out there, I don’t think it matters what level of sport, there is always people who have different tactics and their emotions can run high and words are said. It is always just left out there.”
All Blacks coach Ian Foster defended Ioane, saying it was “the nature of the game”.
“Look, it happens on a rugby park, it happens on most sporting parks when tensions are high and there is a lot at stake. Players from both teams, and all teams, occasionally want to say a few words to each other. And that is the nature of the game.”
“And unfortunately, recently, it has also included players saying a few things to referees. Is it right for the game? Don’t know. It has always been there. It is highly competitive and you don’t hear a lot of players complain about it.” '''
Foster/Cane defends Ioane shouting c*** at the back of the Ireland's captains head and abusing the Irish crowd after the full time whistle. They lie by saying this is 'normal' (it has never happened at a RWC match EVER). And Foster then mocks Sexton by referring to players saying things to refs.
The disrespect shown to Ireland was New Zealands position. Arrogant, entitled rugby nation. So be it.
Exactly what Sexton needed...still delusional about the QF (of course needs to sell the book)
If Irish players called NZ players c***s to the back of their heads in wellington after the second test and abused the Wellington crowd the outrage would be heard from outer space. Your post just demonstrate what a bunch of entitled arrogant so and sos many NZ supporters are.
BUAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Different when the shoes on the other foot eh guys? The whole world knows Sexton and Mahoney were the worst sledgers in the game, particularly since their recent form these last few years. Totally the worst case of Sour Grapes ever seen! Too much of "see you in the final" thinking they were already there. Ireland, the land of the worlds' biggest RWC Chokers.
Your post reminds me to add 'dumb' to arrogant, entitled and egotistical when describing the culture of NZ rugby. Thank you!
Sextool is just one of the knobs from the Irish team. Is that woefully slow OMahny still playing? The invisible man of the Quarter Final. Maybe Cane should go on the Northern tour just to embarrass the plodder again.
Thanks for chipping in to help prove the point about a nasty and arrogant rugby culture in New Zealand.
Oh dear. And here I was thinking this guy actually heard everything said. But no. He's merely taking his mate Jonny's word as gospel. Another forever victim backing up another forever victim. They're everywhere.
Naw never mind Rieko, he’s just a big meanie.
C’mon buddy, let’s get you an ice block and in no time at all you’ll forget all about that silly quarter final.
Johnny Sexton was a great player, undoubtedly one of the best 10's in the Northern hemisphere when at his peak.
Holding grudges for years though, and taking the moral highground here, after plenty of the behaviour that he's shown to refs over the years, is nothing short of ludicrous.
Very, very stupid!
Quite. Hypocrite doesn’t quite cut it…
Not just Sexton. Hansen gave an interview recently: the entire Irish team feels like this.
Calling two Irish greats c***s after the final whistle and then abusing the Irish crowd is way way way beyond the pale.
As NZ says Ireland has 'kept the receipts'. Don't think November will be enough.
He writes as if he is the messiah of rugger. Very good player, but just that. When things got tough at WC time he never really delivered in the big games, and in the last WC he was too selfish to have a fresh player get the Irish across the line. He was poked, and didn’t have the team at heart but wanted to be the one who got them through. Rassie would have yanked him and put a fresh player on. The team always comes first. Always.
He says in the book he thought he should’ve been subbed, it’s the coaches decision not his, he trusted Farrell to make that call. He also didn’t have to be the one to go off, aki and Lowe couldn’t run. Don’t blame everything on him just cause he’s gone
Wonder if Sexton should have zipped it? As they say, what happens on the field stays on the field. Time to put on big boy panties.
He clearly doesn’t have any!
According to Hansen the entire Irish team feels the same.
If Irish players had called NZ players c****s and abused the Wellington crowd after the third test you would be going apesh1te and you know it. Going to be a reckoning for this. Obviously NZ feel Ireland are not worthy of their respect. November is just November thats not enough. Personally I think we need to plan to eliminate them from every world cup from now on.
Well that’s just it though he’s talking about something that happened after the game was over. Most would consider that off the pitch mate get some cop on into you
What a bizarre statement.
So, for example, we should respect P Diddy for everything he’s done for the music industry? We should ignore how we feel about him?
Both JS and RI are d1ckheads. If JS was such a bigger/better man, he could have ignored RI. But he can’t help himself. Because he’s a petulant twat. Made his own name arse as the Irish Captain. And not for the first time mind you.
And who cares whether he’s respected or not. He’s just a retired rugby player. Not a Nobel Laureate. Selling a book of sensational stories for cash.
Dude....using P Diddy in your argument is laughable
And what about the referee team once the whistle is blown? What about a player, sorry non player, marching onto the pitch to abuse the ref team as they go to collect medals to commemorate a game they might only get once? And what if the player, sorry non player, took a young child by the hand while he did so? I wonder when we’ll get to that chapter!
Any comment on that James???
What goes around, comes around…
Except sexton has apologised a few times for it and was punished (the length of the ban considerably shorter than it should’ve been but still), when given the opportunity to apologise or make a statement none of the ABs players or coaches would acknowledge Ioanes wrongdoing any comment on that Ed?
while many of the other excerpts from his book do just make him look entitled, if Sexton is accurately representing what happened here, it is really vile behaviour from Ioane.
I was always raised to think that during the match you should try to get a mental edge over your opponents, but after the match you need to be respectful, win or lose. The RWC suggested that that attitude isn't shared by some of the southern hemisphere sides. I'd be interested to know if there's a genuine disagreement about the proper code of conduct, or if its a case of a few bad apples not practising what they preach.
Malarky. The lousy behaviour by some of the Irish players when they were in NZ is pretty well documented. If they're going to behave like that then they're going to need to harden up when it gets dished back to them, instead of clutching their pearls and wailing about the ABs being mean to them.
Regarding Ioane gesturing to the Irish crowd, that is literally citable. Its actually the World Rugby version of the regulation Sexton broke with ref Peyper. And Ioane did it twice, he would have been done 100%. NZ as the Union he plays for would have been fined, forced to apologize etc etc
That's down to Ireland not bothering. NZ don't seem to understand or appreciate that they were let off the hook here. Hearing Foster mock Sexton in the presser after the match I am sure Farrell may have been tempted.
I agree. Pretty awful behaviour. Kick a person whole they're down. Pathetic!!
Can't wait for Ireland NZ now though. There's gonna be absolute fireworks!!!
So we’ve had one side of the story with jonny boys injured innocence act, will be interesting to read reiko’s reply if he ever has his say…