Former Leinster and Ireland hooker James Tracy has taken aim at All Blacks centre Reiko Ioane following the emergence of what he said to former Ireland captain Johnny Sexton at the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal.
Edging Ireland 28 – 24, the All Blacks sent the World number one ranked men in green packing at the quarterfinal stage following a hot start. Despite having several opportunities to take the match, Ireland could not find that decisive go ahead score.
Referencing the incident with Ioane in his upcoming book, Sexton wrote, “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.
“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.
“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.”
Backing up his former teammate, Tracy appeared on the Irish Sports Show ‘Off The Ball’ today to offer his view on the incident.
“The Reiko Ioane thing,” Tracy opened with, “I said it on here at the time, whatever about what happens on the field and how you feel about a certain player and everything about that, what he has done for the game never mind just Irish Rugby is something you respect.”
Continuing on with his point, Tracy said, “Whether you like the person or not, if you don’t like him, then just don’t say anything to him.
“You’ve just beaten them on the biggest stage, in the biggest moment, and you know they’re done. You had every opportunity every time you’ve played them to take their head off.
“But if Johnny had said something chirpy to him first, then if he responded that way, that’s fair game.”
Leaning into the point about when the incident occurred, Tracy said the timing of the incident made the situation even worse.
“Just to have that low blow, and then when the camera is on, and he is sweeping the sheds (referencing the All Blacks much publicised good blokes policy), it’s as low as you can get.”
Clarifying his respect for New Zealand rugby players, Tracy concluded, “Not all 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 there are no d***heads.”
@otbrugby 🗣 ‘It’s as low as you can get!’ ☘ James Tracy didn’t hold back on his thoughts after Johnny Sexton revealed what was said between him and “fake-humble” Rieko Ioane at #rwc2023 🏉 #irishrugby #allblacks #johnnysexton #offtheball ♬ original sound – OTB Rugby
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