Visibly emotional Johnny Sexton held nothing back in angry exchange with Rieko Ioane when Ireland denied rare feat

Today at 09:18 AM

Crashing out of the World Cup is hard enough and that's without having your nose rubbed in it.

With emotions running high and the shock and disappointment all too raw, the usually composed figure of Johnny Sexton was put to the test.

No. 1 ranked Ireland had been dumped out of the 2023 World Cup just seconds earlier and with it, their hopes of a first triumph in the competition.

Ireland were many people's favourites to win the competition, even more so after seeing off South Africa in the group stage.

However, a quarter-final clash against perennial winners New Zealand was always going to be a test of their metal.

There was also the added caveat of Ireland making a little piece of their own history.

Andy Farrell’s side were unbeaten in 17 tests which ironically began with victory against the All Blacks in July 2022.

One more victory would have drawn them level with the record jointly held by New Zealand and England.

But the challenge proved to be a step too far for Sexton who subsequently called time on his career after Ireland slipped to a 28-24 defeat at the Stade de France.

"When you lose a big game like a World Cup quarter-final, you go through different emotional stages," Sexton told The Times. "That Sunday night, I was in the self-pity phase: raging at the injustice of it all, fuming at decisions that had gone against us.

Sexton was not used to losing matches however the result wasn’t the only thing filling him with fury on a brutal night in Paris with the closing stages fuelling a range of emotions for the fly-half.

"I couldn't bring myself to watch the quarter-final back," he said. 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.

"Ronan Kelleher still ploughs into Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. Whitelock goes in for the poach, clearly without releasing, but somehow (referee) 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.'

"Ioane says, 'penalty, 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," Sexton recalled.

"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."

Sexton still believes Ireland were well equipped to lift the World Cup despite South Africa recovering from their group stage defeat to beat New Zealand in the final.

"I'm still convinced that we were the best team at the tournament, that our world ranking was accurate," Sexton added.

"I know I'm biased and I know that South Africans – and others – will tell me to look in the record books. But it wouldn't be the first time that the best side in a sports tournament didn't end up winning it."

New Zealand head to Dublin on Friday in the first meeting between the teams since the World Cup and with the scars of Paris still fresh in Irish minds.

Ireland have bounced back well since the defeat, claiming a second-straight Six Nations title earlier this year.

The only blemish on their record being a 23-22 defeat to England at Twickenham in March.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks are in buoyant mood after sealing a spectacular 24-22 win over England on Saturday.