Johnny Sexton gives cheeky response to Rieko Ioane’s Leinster move

Safe to say there may be no love lost between the pair...

This shock transfer follows a public spat with Leinster icon Johnny Sexton, who had a war of words with the New Zealand centre at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

After Ireland were eliminated at the quarter-finals by New Zealand, according to Sexton, Ioane told him “don’t miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, you c**t”.

The All Blacks man threw one last dig at Sexton on Instagram, after winning 23-13 in the rematch between the sides a year later, posting multiple photos of him leading the Haka, with the caption “Put that in the book”.

Cullen said: “Sledging is part of the game and there was more made of it than it actually is.

“I used to get sledged as a player but I didn’t take it personally. I used to get called all sorts of awful things! That’s just part and parcel."

Sexton, who is currently part of the Lions coaching team, was asked about the move at a press conference at UCD yesterday.

He joked: “Wow, save the best for last.

“I purchased my Munster season ticket last week, put it that way...”