Latest news with #Ioane
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Munster Supporters Club ‘post' cheeky reply to Johnny Sexton after he claimed he'd ditch Leinster over Rieko Ioane beef
MUNSTER Supporters Club "posted" a response to Johnny Sexton after he joked about becoming a Reds season ticket holder. The 39-year-old Advertisement 2 The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour will begin on Friday at the Aviva Stadium Credit: PA 2 Sexton has quipped about becoming a regular at Thomond Park Credit: @MRSC16 Speaking at his first appearance as a member of When asked on Monday about Now, the good folk at the province's official club fan club have responded by taking Sexton up on his remark. They shared a mock-up of a season ticket pass with his name on it. Advertisement Read More On Irish Sport The amusing social media post was captioned: "Great to hear from official Lions Rugby that we have a new member for next season. Your card is in the post Johnny. SUAF." In his autobiography, Sexton He wrote that, after referee Wayne Barnes blew the final whistle, Ioane said to him 'Don't miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement you c***'. Sexton responded by calling him 'a fake-humble f*****'. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union Auckland native Ioane reignited the row after the All Blacks beat Ireland last November with an Instagram post with the caption 'Put that in the book'. And Ioane admitted that he might have to win over a few people when he lands in Dublin later this summer. 'I live life on the edge' - Watch Peter O'Mahony storm off after wife Jessica startles him while gardening He said: 'By all my friends' accounts, it's about 50-50 at the moment. We'll try to get that to 60-40 in my favour.' At that same press briefing, the longtime Irish 10 Advertisement Sexton knows a thing or two about the level of scrutiny which comes from the territory, from his tussle with The attention on SOCIAL SEWER The Rathgar man emphasized: 'They're just so young. You've got to give them a chance to learn and experience these things, but the level that they are producing already in their careers is amazing really. 'They're so far ahead of where I was and they've got the world at their feet with the work ethic that they have. Advertisement 'They're humble guys, they do want to learn, they want to practise hard and that's the thing that you look at the most as a coach. 'One thing I disagree with is some of the narrative around it in terms of there's obviously a split in the country in terms of Munster-Leinster and I've been there before. 'I've been in that situation and with social media getting bigger and bigger it's tough on them at times and it shouldn't be like that. "We should be supporting whoever's picked and getting fully behind them. I told them to delete social media.' Advertisement
The 42
5 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Sexton: 'I purchased my Munster season ticket, put it that way'
LEINSTER SIGNING RIEKO Ioane came like a bolt out of the blue. Surely no one was as surprised as Johnny Sexton. The legendary former Leinster out-half was involved in a spat with the All Blacks centre just after the final game of his career. New Zealand had beaten Ireland in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final when Ioane sledged Sexton. 'Don't miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, you c**t,' Ioane told Sexton, according to the former Ireland out-half. Sexton responded by calling Ioane 'a fake-humble f***er,' as he revealed in his autobiography. Ioane reacted to Sexton publishing those details by taking to social media after New Zealand beat Ireland again last November, writing, 'Put that in your book.' The Leinster-bound centre does not shy away from controversy, using the joker card emoji on his sometimes incendiary social media posts. Blues centre Ioane was seen exchanging words with Chiefs players after his side's recent Super Rugby win against them, while he posted, 'Should've killed me when you had a chance' following that game. Advertisement Ioane's history with Leinster legend Sexton meant news of the Irish province signing him on a short-term deal next season caused shock in April. Rieko Ioane after the 2023 win over Ireland. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Sexton held a press conference today in his guise as a Lions assistant coach. This was his first time speaking to the media since news of Ioane signing for Leinster broke. His reaction was succinct. 'I purchased my Munster season ticket last week, put it that way,' said Sexton with a smile. He opted against going into any detail of his view on the signing, but it seems obvious that he isn't a huge fan of it. Sexton was more eager to discuss the Lions, having launched into his role as their kicking coach at last week's training camp in Portugal. Andy Farrell's squad are now in Dublin preparing for Friday evening's opening warm-up game against Argentina. Sexton is one of a large contingent of Irish coaches, players, and backroom staff involved with the Lions under Farrell. Finlay Bealham's call-up as an injury replacement for Zander Fagerson means Ireland now have 16 players in the 38-man squad, but Sexton believes that's simply a reflection of their quality in recent seasons. 'Ireland have done pretty well over the last few years I think, having won the Championship last year, the Grand Slam the year before, so you're probably looking at form over the last three years,' said Sexton. 'With some players, I think the coaches probably look at form over seven, eight, nine years. It's not just if you played well in a couple of games in the Six Nations. You can force your way in but sometimes you take a bigger picture look with players and obviously they know the way Andy coaches, they know the system. Andy Farrell at Lions training in Dublin today. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO 'So it didn't surprise me because, historically, let's say when there was a Welsh coach and the Welsh team had done well, they were in the majority, the Welsh team. 'I think the teams that perform the best in terms of their Six Nations performances, I think they got selected. 'I have never seen as thorough a process in terms of all the combinations, the amount of players that were considered, the amount of players that were talked about. 'Andy did all of those players justice in terms of putting enough research, work, asked relevant people, and he's picked the squad that he thinks gives him the best chance to win the tour.'
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'I purchased my Munster season ticket' - Johnny Sexton's mischievous take on Leinster's Rieko Ioane signing
Johnny Sexton has fanned the flames of his feud with New Zealand's Rieko Ioane, suggesting he'll be supporting Munster when Ioane arrives at Leinster next season. Former Ireland and Leinster captain Sexton famously clashed with the All Blacks centre following their World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in 2023, and that beef escalated further in the autumn of 2024, when Sexton gave his version of events in his autobiography. Ioane responded with a number of thinly veiled social media posts before playing a central role in New Zealand's win against Ireland at Aviva Stadium in November, and so it came as a major shock when he confirmed in April that he would be joining Leinster next season on a short-term deal, similar to Jordie Barrett's sabbatical in the 2024/25 season. Sexton was speaking to the media on Monday as part of the British and Irish Lions game against Argentina this Friday, and gave a mischievous answer to being asked for his opinions on Ioane's future move to Dublin. "Wow, save the best [question] for last," he laughed. "I purchased my Munster season ticket last week, put it that way." A short, tongue-in-cheek reply, but one that said a lot in very few words. The 39-year-old was in relaxed form as he spoke to the media at UCD, where the Lions squad are based this week ahead of their warm-up game against Los Pumas on Friday. A smaller squad of 24 trained in Portugal last week, with the Leinster, Bath and Leicester Tigers contingent linking up with the squad tonight following their URC and Premiership final exploits on Saturday. For Sexton (above), many of this Lions squad are former team-mates and opponents, and he says he's wary of the fact he's on this tour as a coach rather than a player, as he was in 2013 and 2017. "Obviously I know these guys really well but, with that, comes a challenge in how you deal with them, particularly when they're friends. "And it's the same thing when you're meeting people for the first time, there's pros and cons with that. You have to try to get to know them as people, get to know their strengths and weaknesses. "Sometimes you can have a perception of a player from what you see through a TV screen and no matter how much footage you can watch and then you can see something different live. "You can see a different person to what you expected. I'm enjoying being back, that's the main thing. Hopefully I can add value because that's ultimately what you want when you come into a job. You want to feel like you're making a difference and I want the players to say 'he's been good for me'. "I want to impart some of the knowledge that I've picked up over 17 years as a pro, to give it back."
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Johnny Sexton cracks Munster punchline when quizzed about Rieko Ioane's impending Leinster arrival
JOHNNY SEXTON has joked that Rieko Ioane's move to Leinster has forced him to cross Irish rugby's biggest divide. Ioane 2 Sexton was in relaxed form about his supposed nemesis being Leinster-bound Credit: PA 2 The pair clashed at the end of Sexton's last-ever game as a player But his arrival has caused a stir given the All Black's previous with Leinster and Ireland legend Sexton. In his autobiography, Sexton He wrote that, after referee Wayne Barnes blew the final whistle, Ioane said to him 'Don't miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement you c***'. Sexton responded by calling him 'a fake-humble f*****'. Read More On Irish Sport The Auckland native reignited the row after the All Blacks beat Ireland last November with an Instagram post with the caption 'Put that in the book'. And Ioane admitted that he might have to win over a few people when he lands in Dublin later this summer. He said: 'By all my friends' accounts, it's about 50-50 at the moment. We'll try to get that to 60-40 in my favour.' But Sexton quipped that he will not be hanging around. Most read in Rugby Union When asked about Ioane's impending arrival, he said: 'I purchased my Munster season ticket last week, put it that way.' Inside Leinster's boozy celebrations as stars dance on team bus while leaving Croke Park as URC champs
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Reiko Ioane to Leinster? Johnny Sexton says he's buying a Munster season ticket
Johnny Sexton had a quick snap back at All Black Reiko Ioane, some year-and-half after their notorious Rugby World Cup spat. Sexton was seen by an estimated 1.2m Irish TV viewers clashing with the centre after the final whistle and revealed later in his autobiography he had been abused in defeat about his retirement and further called a 'c***' by Ioane. Leinster revealed they had signed Ioane as a direct 2025/26 replacement for 2024/25's Jordie Barrett. Said Leinster boss Leo at the time revealing the deal had been struck: "Rieko is a world-class, 81-cap All Black who has been operating at the very top level of the international game and Super Rugby for many seasons. "He is an exciting, versatile outside back who will bring pace, rugby skills and experience to Leinster. Ioane said: "It is an exciting opportunity to play in Ireland for an iconic team, grow my game, and experience something different with my family." Said Sexton earlier this afternoon with a grin: "Wow...I purchased my Munster season ticket last week, put it that way...!" The former Lions and Ireland out-half is delighted to be back in the fold and, indeed, was Part of Lions success in Australia in 2013 saying it was one of the highlights of his playing career. 'It was right up there, when you look back at the history of the Lions and you see how hard it is to win a series, at the time you maybe take it a little bit for granted because you almost think about the next one straight away. "But, now that you're out of it, and you're looking back at it, and the history of it - obviously 97 was a famous tour - and you remember the ones you win really don't you? It was amazing to be a part of that. "Obviously, the trip to NZ was a draw which was a bit of anti-climax, put it that way, so it's been a huge motivating factor trying to be a Lion in the early stage of my career, how much it hurt not being picked in 2021, all those type of things. "I do empathise with all of the players not picked but probably a few will come out with injuries. Things will happen on tour for sure." "And not being picked in 2021, all those type of things. I do empathise with the players that weren't picked but probably a few of them will come out due to injuries. Things will happen on tour for sure.'
