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Johnny Sexton: 'So much for their humility'
By Ian Cameron
Johnny Sexton has defended his outburst towards Rieko Ioane after Ireland’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in his new book Obsessed – The Autobiography of Johnny Sexton.
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In the book, Sexton lifts the lid on his angry reaction, stating it was in response to Ioane’s own x-rated remark to the crestfallen Ireland fly-half at full-time. Ireland went into the 2023 World Cup ranked No.1 in the world and beat South Africa in the group stage before losing to New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
The Sunday Times published extracts from the book this weekend, detailing the aftermath of the defeat and Sexton’s view of the incident.
“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.”
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Sexton also writes that he is “still convinced” that Ireland were the best team in the tournament. He also acknowledges New Zealand’s well-coached effort, particularly crediting Schmidt’s influence.
He also recalls his son Luca’s comforting words after the match, marking the beginning of his healing process.
“I struggled to contain my sadness afterwards, but the healing process began even while I was still on the pitch in Saint-Denis. The TV cameras were on me and Luca when he looked up and told me, “You’re still the best, Dad.”
Obsessed, The Autobiography by Johnny Sexton is published by Penguin, Sandycove on the 10th Oct at £20/€25. Available to pre-order now
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If offensive comments are indeed removed turdflow will disappear from this forum...
Sexton would be an awful best friend - he’d tell your missus everything.
🤣 Aww. What's your address? Box of kleenex coming.. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Good riddance to you, sore loser.
What? JFC Run along troll...
Yes, yes you win...just f**k off boy
Awwww. That's the sign of a loser. So angry he goes back to the old get lost troll insult. I must say, it's been lover ting educating here a little bit. Maybe it will sink in over time. Give it ten years and Ireland will be back to the class of 95'.
What did Sexton write about his behaviour after the La Rochelle final?
I am sure he did, why? He apologized for that immediately. Not seeing an apology from Ioane, Retallick, Foster or Cane about NZs behaviour after the final whisle in Paris. The opposite
You're really a very stupid person.
Humble Rugby teams respect their opponents after the final whistle. Arrogant teams dont. It's really that simple.
You need to be humble now. Not just for the pride of ireland, but for rugby. You can, a change for now, you have it in you in yourself to be.
Indeed. Ireland players arrogance, especially when shaking hands with the south African players saying we'll see you in yeh final certainly reeks of arrogance (for a team thats never made it past the quarterfinals). Ridiculous. Ireland needed to be taken down a peg.
Why does this a$$hole continue to be unblocked after I keep blocking him RugbyPass? Fix the glitch please. He is following me and trolling me.
Ive blocked you. Do not attaempt to converse with me @The A$$hole
We will have a fairer draw in RWC 2027 and it will stop being set up for the established powers to win. With a bit of luck we won't get our usual major match scheduled the week before our first knock out match. Out of fairness NZ and SA should take their turn in that slot, instead of Ireland, France, Scotland but we won't hold our breath there.
Again, we will do what we haven't done before and target a team before hand. That will be NZ. This time we will have a win or two in Knock outs under our belt so an even playing field.
"inventing non existant (sic) stories"
That sounds a lot like you calling people r@cists without any evidence...
Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.
3 book excerpts, all run ins and arguments with other players. Perhaps everyone else isn’t the problem, Johnny.
Calling a defeated captain a cnut in the RWC quarter final and then abusing opposition supporters twice is a little more. Retallick also a abused POM. Foster and Cane doubled down on the behaviour that evening. NZ has garnered international respect for their rugby standard and so called humility. Mocking the opposition after beating them demeans NZ and their legacy.
Did it have his side v O'Gara in it? Would like to hear that too.
The ABs have always had a target on their backs as they have always been the best in the world. Now that we are the most hated also let the world and the Irish in particular watch in disgust as we return to being world beaters in 2027.
Now the Irish know what it's like to experience extreme disappointment at a WC, made worse by not being able to handle some sledging.
Mocking opposition captains, vice captains and supporters after a RWC elimination is not sledging. You know this: be man enough to admit it.
When can we expect the rise of the great and humble all blacks?
Let me guess, sometime after the November series?