In the aftermath of Wayne Barnes blowing his whistle to end Ireland’s 17-match unbeaten run and dash their World Cup hopes, an irate Sexton was seen on the broadcast directing a few heated words toward Ioane.
Sexton claims it was a reaction to some choice words by the All Black centre.
In an extract of his autobiography Obsessed in the Sunday Times, Sexton alleges Ioane made light of the Irishman’s last test.
“I couldn’t bring myself to watch the quarter-final back. 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.
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“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.”
Sexton said other members of the All Blacks group were humble.
There was no shortage of niggle between the two sides, either.
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Brodie Retallick has also confirmed he told Ireland loose forward Peter O’Mahony “four more years, you f***wit”. In 2022, as Ireland sealed a first test and series win on New Zealand soil, O’Mahony himself called then-All Blacks captain Sam Cane “a s*** Richie McCaw”.
The All Blacks will meet Ireland for the first time since the quarter-final in Dublin on November 9.
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