Ex-All Blacks forward reveals how Rieko Ioane can silence Johnny Sexton noise at Leinster
All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane and an inset of Ireland legend Johnny Sexton.
Ex-All Blacks and Blues hooker James Parsons has advised Rieko Ioane on how to silence the Johnny Sexton noise while Bryn Hall believes that he can take his game to another level at Leinster.
Ioane last week dropped the bombshell that he would be linking up with the Irish province next season as he will be tasked with providing a similar impact to Jordie Barrett for the men in blue.
Sexton-Ioane spat
The move took the rugby world by surprise as there was not only no speculation over the switch, but Ioane also has some bad blood with Ireland and Leinster fans after his spat with Sexton after New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final victory in 2023.
Sexton detailed his exchange with Ioane after the final whistle in his book Obsession with the centre telling the legendary fly-half to “enjoy your retirement, you c***”.
When Ireland and New Zealand faced off last November, Ioane was repeatedly booed when he touched the ball and after the All Blacks secured another win, he posted a story on Instagram with the caption “Put that in the book”.
The history between Ioane and Sexton meant that the confirmation that the former was joining Leinster next season was met with mixed reviews from fans.
However, former hooker Parsons believes that the All Blacks star can mend fences with the Leinster fans with his on-field performances.
“Oh look, I think it’s fantastic,” he said of the move on the Aotearoa Rugby Podcast.
“I mean the one thing, I would say it is a hell of a tip of the cap to Leinster. We’ve seen the impact that Jordie has had but I also think it’s a courageous move from Rieko.
“He’s definitely got another chapter for his book when he retires because obviously there’s some history there, but no doubt they’ve had those conversations behind the scenes.
“At the end of the day, as we said with Jordie, the most exciting thing is these sabbaticals are not all about the money.
Johnny Sexton v Rieko Ioane and rugby’s most infamous chirps, trash talk and sledges ever
“It’s about going to a club and a competition that has the potential to make them an even better athlete, person and player – the whole nine yards. So well done to Rieko.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes and really hoping that the Irish fans can get behind him, but the biggest thing there is your only currency as a player when you go into new clubs is performance and no doubt he’ll be focused on making sure that he hits the ground running.
“That will put the Johnny Sexton stuff to the side and allow them to get behind him.”
Ioane out to improve his game
Meanwhile, former Blues and Crusaders half-back Hall believes that Ioane will use the stint at Leinster to improve his game, adding that there isn’t a better club in the world to do that.
“He is going to one of probably the best clubs in the world… for any position in general to be able to upskill yourself so he’s probably seeing Jordie and seeing how well it’s gone for him,” he said.
“He will want to do the same and grow his game.
“More importantly, sometimes being in the All Blacks and the Blues for such a long time, going to somewhere completely different where they play a completely different style, I think it’ll be great for him.
“Especially with him probably wanting to go to that 2027 World Cup as a new player. He’s going to a club where I think he is going to take his game to another level in terms of being able to see the game differently.”
