Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

sports biographies are terrible. Pages of crap in the hope of finding a nugget of interest. I hate when a big rugby one is released as there’s Aunties rubbing their hands together thinking that’s Christmas sorted.

Very easy for Barrett and Retallick to be model athletes, they just won the game. They’re not in anything close to the same headspace as the Irish players.

If he does talk about the ROG then fair enough. Does he say what he said?

Agreed that verbals and sledging during a game are fine but after the final whistle, that should be it. I imagine Sexton had said a fair few things to AB players in recent years and Ioane took the opportunity to have a dig. It was petty and unnecessary, as was Sexton's reaction.

I actually appreciated Gregan's "4 more years" comment. Great sledge. And then the kiwi fans chanting it in RWC 2011 semi was a great comeback. I also liked POM's "you're a **** Richie McCaw". And I'd have no problem if Cane said something back at the end of the 2023 QF. As long as it was clever and not as crass and basic as Ioane's comments.

First thing you're taught is when the game is over to be respectful. Shows Ioane is an utter tosser IMO.

Why, its exactly what he is?

Do you wish us to temper our opprobrium for him just to appease some abstract sensibilities?

What he said to Sexton was vile, unnecessary, unsporting, and an unbecoming stain on his team, family and nation.

Personally I hope he is selected in the starting XV for the Test at Lansdowne Road next month. I want to see what happens when Joe McCarthy and Andrew Porter, in particular, get a hold of him.

There’s no actual perspective or analysis in that at all - just their blinkered version of the same incident.

There is banter and sledging that goes on on the field, and then there’s an utterly classless comment like Ioane made, at a time when winning teams are usually graceful.

I’ll tell you something - we, as in Irish rugby, are a long way removed from the days when they literally didn’t even know any of our players’ names.

Yeah that's a fair take on it. Dagg is right.

Yeah it should be a cracking game (if the ABs can get their **** together). The QF the ABs were looking for revenge after the 2022 tour. This year Ireland is looking for revenge after the RWC. Got myself a ticket. It will the first match I've gone to in about 5 years.

Worth remembering this is how NZ were perceived prior to 2011 (albeit getting further than Ireland obviously).

We'll eventually break the QF glass ceiling and I think that'll go a long way to psychologically getting the monkey off our back. A bit like when we first beat NZ.

What goes around comes around. Everyone knows sexton was a mouth. If you’re gonna give out you’ve gotta take it too. Guy is probably the most unlikeable Irish player since I’ve followed Irish rugby. Outside of his Leinster fan base he has little support. Ask Scottish English Welsh kiwi even French supporters. Not excusing ioane, but it’s 100 % certain that sexton had previous. Guy should just enjoy his retirement but has yet another whinge. Insufferable.

Well the more you and the English, French, Kiwi Scots and Welsh supporters write and moan about it the more books he sells. Great bit of publicity.

people realise that Sexton has a book coming out, right? And these are extracts from said book? Like, he didn’t just randomly come out with this stuff.

My favourite bit is posters who haven’t been here in months rushing back to stick the boot in on Sexton over this pretty minor tiff then bemoaning his bitterness and inability to move on. Classic.

Its called all publicity is good publicity. His publishers are playing the game. Some of us realise that. Others..... meh.

I don't get the need for so many ex players writing books. You'd assume they're all basically alike.