A dejected Jonathan Sexton after losing the World Cup Quarter Final match. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The retired first five's revelations in a recently released autobiography have heated up tensions between Ireland and the All Blacks before their big clash in Dublin next month.
Johnny Sexton has spoken out about the furore caused by the release of his autobiography Obsessed, namely a passage that described the verbal spray he received from All Black Rieko Ioane in the dying stages of a dramatic World Cup quarter-final last year.
The 118-cap Irish record points scorer said the reaction to the revelation that Ioane told him to "get back 10 metres" and called him a "c***" after Samuel Whitelock had won the All Blacks a turnover penalty that ended the match, has taken him by surprise.
Speaking to THE BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Sexton was asked if he cared about the stir that the book had caused among All Black fans.
"I do care, like I do care. But like I said, the most important are your teammates or the people in your country. But I was a bit shocked by the reaction," said Sexton after the excerpt generated headlines worldwide and heated debate on social media.
Reiko Ioane scores against the Wallabies. Photo: Steven Markham/ActionPress
"I toyed with taking it out, putting it in. But the reason for putting it in was not giving out like this is just what happened… A certain part of me was just trying to protect. Like I was criticised after the game for my reaction, because people thought 'oh here's your man being a sore loser again'. But they didn't see what set me off. So it was me explaining why, you know what I mean?"
Sexton also revealed that he contacted Joe Schmidt, his former Irish coach who was by then an assistant with the All Blacks, after the game.
"I remember texting Joe and I said look, I know it looked bad me chasing your man after the final whistle - but this is what happened. I'm sorry for my reaction. That's the only reason I put it in. I didn't do it to kick things off…I don't really mind that it happened, it's just the way I reacted. At that moment, this is what I thought."
The interview comes after Ioane posted a rebuke to the book's initial revelation in the form of an Instagram story. The post showed a picture of Ioane and Sexton with The Cranberries' song 'Zombie' played over the top, a clear insinuation to Sexton that the 28-24 win to the All Blacks was still "in your head" as the lyrics famously suggest.
The All Blacks meet Ireland on 9 November in Dublin, the third match of their end-of-year tour.
All Blacks tour schedule (all times NZT)
All Blacks vs Japan
Kick-off: 6.50pm Saturday 26 October
Nissan Stadium, Yokohama
All Blacks vs England
Kick-off: 4.10am Sunday 3 November
Allianz Stadium, London
All Blacks vs Ireland
Kick-off: 9.10am Saturday 9 November
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
All Blacks vs France
Kick-off: 9.10am Sunday 17 November
Stade de France, Paris
All Blacks vs Italy
Kick-off: 9.10am Sunday 24 November
Allianz Stadium, Turin