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3rd October 2024
03:34pm BST
Another member of the New Zealand rugby team has chimed in on the war of words between Johnny Sexton and All Blacks legend Israel Dagg after an extract from the ex-Ireland kicker's new book was published online.
The Times published a piece from Obsessed: The Autobiography over the weekend which included details of an exchange Sexton 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 on the pitch after the final whistle had gone.
"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."
Yesterday, Dagg hit back at the former Leinster fly-half, claiming that Ioane’s remarks were simply retaliation for an earlier slight from the Ireland side.
Speaking on a popular radio show in New Zealand, SENZ’s Scotty & Izzy, Dagg said: "Give it a rest. Just accept it, mate.
"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."
Now, Rieko Ioane has issued a very subtle but triggering response via his Instagram story.
The 27-year-old posted an image of his on-field spat with Sexton during last year's World Cup quarter final, soundtracked by the song Zombie from Limerick band The Cranberries.
The iconic track was used as Ireland's unofficial anthem in Paris, so it's quite a deliberate dig from the Auckland native.
The clip appeared to imply that Ioane was inside Sexton’s head with the lyrics “in your head, in your head” featuring prominently.
Ioane also included a joker emoji above Ioane and a home emoji below Sexton, referencing that New Zealand had just knocked Ireland out of the tournament in Sexton's final game.
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