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2nd October 2024
03:34pm BST
Former New Zealand fullback Israel Dagg has hit back at Johnny Sexton after the ex-Ireland and Leinster star called him a "fake-humble f****r" in his new autobiography.
An extract from Obsessed, which will be released on 10 October, was published in The Times over the weekend.
In it, Sexton opened up on an exchange he had with All Blacks star Rieko Ioane after Ireland's 2023 World Cup quarter final defeat in Paris.
The 39-year-old, who was playing his last ever international game before retirement that night, slammed New Zealand's "famous ‘no d***heads’ policy" and revealed what Ioane said to him at the final whistle.
"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,’" Sexton wrote.
"'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***.’"
He added: "So much for the All Blacks’ famous ‘no d***heads’ policy. So much for their humility. I walk after Ioane and call him a fake-humble f****r. 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."
Now, Dagg has weighed in on the discourse around the comments, claiming that Ioane’s remarks were simply retaliation for an earlier slight from the Ireland side.
The former Crusaders star alleged that Ireland flanker Peter O’Mahony called Sam Cane ‘a s**t Richie McCaw’ after a famous series victory over the All Blacks back in 2022.
During an interview on a popular radio show in New Zealand, Dagg remarked: "Just accept it, mate," the ex-fullback said on SENZ’s Scotty & Izzy. "Give it a rest."
"Ireland tend to throw a lot of chat out there because they’re winning in between World Cups, but come World Cups – you just don’t. You don’t win it.
"Obviously the comments were pretty harsh and they probably hurt your feelings. But you were retiring," he added.
"People don’t forget when you toured New Zealand and you said some things to our very own All Blacks. They’re going to bottle that up for the big occasions.
"They bottled it up nicely and you guys bottled it over there in the quarter-finals. That’s just the way it goes."
Heartbreaking. On my feet head in hands. 37 phases at the end. Johnny Sexton: the emotion, the Captaincy, the sportsmanship ☘️ pic.twitter.com/fiRXByBQ41
— Omid Djalili (@omid9) October 14, 2023
Dagg, who retired in 2019 after continuous issues with an injury to his right knee, also addressed Sexton’s remarks around the All Blacks’ ‘no d***heads’ policy.
He explained that the idea is more centred around the team environment and does not extend to on-field sledging or scenarios which occurred that night in Paris.
"There’s a ‘no d***head’ policy in the brotherhood – between each other and in the environment, in amongst their own team-mates," he explained.
"It’s not about you. It’s not about the Irish team and not being a d***head to them or the English team.
"We carry ourselves in a way that we don’t want to sound arrogant," he continued. "We want to show humility a little bit. But when you fire something, you’ve got to expect a return, and that’s what’s happened here.
"(Ioane) is standing up for Sammy Cane and Brodie Retallick. Pete O’Mahony threw out some chat. Well, you just lost the quarter-final – time to go home."
It's probably safe to say Rieko Ioane won't be lining up to buy a copy of Obsessed when it hits shelves next week.
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