Johnny Sexton gives cheeky response to Rieko Ioane’s Leinster move

Safe to say there may be no love lost between the pair...

All-Blacks star Rieko Ioane will join URC champions Leinster after the November internationals this year. Ioane will make the move on a similar deal to his international teammate, Jordie Barrett, who is leaving Leinster now that the URC campaign is over.

This shock transfer follows a public spat with Leinster icon Johnny Sexton, who had a war of words with the New Zealand centre at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

After Ireland were eliminated at the quarter-finals by New Zealand, according to Sexton, Ioane told him “don’t miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, you c**t”.

The All Blacks man threw one last dig at Sexton on Instagram, after winning 23-13 in the rematch between the sides a year later, posting multiple photos of him leading the Haka, with the caption “Put that in the book”.

Ioane's frosty relationship with Sexton potentially affecting his popularity when he lines out for Leinster, has not deterred his excitement to join the team. Leinster head coach, Leo Cullen, revealed in April that he felt this spat wouldn't hamper his new signing either.

Cullen said: “Sledging is part of the game and there was more made of it than it actually is.

“I used to get sledged as a player but I didn’t take it personally. I used to get called all sorts of awful things! That’s just part and parcel."

Sexton, who is currently part of the Lions coaching team, was asked about the move at a press conference at UCD yesterday.

He joked: “Wow, save the best for last.

“I purchased my Munster season ticket last week, put it that way...”