Crashing out of the World Cup is hard enough and that’s without having your nose rubbed in the process.
While emotions run high and the shock and disappointment are all too raw, the usually composed figure of Johnny Sexton was put to the test.
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Johnny Sexton’s dream of a fairytale end to his career in Ireland was shattered by the All BlacksCredit: Getty
Number 1 Ireland had been dumped out of the 2023 World Cup just seconds earlier and with it their hopes of a first win in the competition.
Ireland were many people’s favorites to win the competition, especially after beating South Africa in the group stage.
However, a quarter-final match against perennial winners New Zealand was always going to be a test of their metal.
There was also the added caveat that Ireland would be making a little piece of its own history.
Andy Farrell’s side were unbeaten in 17 tests, which ironically started with victory against the All Blacks in July 2022.
Another win would have taken them level with the record jointly held by New Zealand and England.
But the challenge proved a step too far for Sexton, who subsequently called on his career Ireland slumped to a 28-24 defeat at the Stade de France.
“When you lose an important match, like a World Cup quarter-final, you go through different emotional phases,” Sexton said The times. “That Sunday evening I was in the self-pity phase: furious about the injustice of it all, furious about decisions that had gone against us.
Sexton was not used to losing games but the result wasn’t the only thing that infuriated him on a brutal night in Paris, with the closing stages stirring up a range of emotions for the fly-half.
“I couldn’t bring myself to watch the quarter-final again,” he said. I don’t think I ever will. That’s not necessary. I mentally replayed every second, over and over again. It ends the same way every time.
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Sexton was visibly devastated at full-time after Ireland were dumped out of the World Cup in the quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
‘Ronan Kelleher is still plowing into Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. Whitelock goes for the poacher, clearly without letting go, but somehow (referee) Wayne Barnes awards him the penalty even though it all happened under his nose – and it’s all over.
“And as I stand there, hands on hips, staring at Barnes in disbelief, Rieko Ioane still comes up to me and says, ‘Go back ten yards.’
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“Ioane says: ‘punishment, back ten’. And then, after Barnes blows the final whistle, he says, “Don’t miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, son of a bitch.” “So much for the All Blacks’ famous ‘no dicks’ policy. So much for their humility. I walk behind Ioane and call him a fake modest bastard.
“It doesn’t look great that I’m going to try one of them right after we lose. But I can’t be expected to ignore that,” Sexton recalled.
“I later contacted Joe Schmidt to explain my behavior. Joe was part of the All Blacks coaching team and we go way back.
“Normally he would have been gracious in victory that night. He took the time to say nice things to Luca on the field shortly after the game. The Barrett brothers – Beauden, Scott and Jordie – were also true gentlemen, as was Ardie Savea, who had some lovely words of comfort for me. I appreciated that.”
Sexton still believes Ireland were well equipped to win the World Cup despite South Africa bouncing back from group stage defeat by beating New Zealand in the final.
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Rieko Ioane was far from sympathetic to Sexton when he retired from international rugbyCredit: Getty
“I still believe we were the best team at the tournament and that our world ranking was accurate,” Sexton added.
“I know I am biased and I know South Africans – and others – will tell me to look in the record books. But it would not be the first time that the best team of a sports tournament did not win the tournament.”
New Zealand head to Dublin on Friday for the first meeting between the teams since the World Cup and with the scars of Paris still fresh in the Irish’s minds.
Ireland have recovered well since the defeat to claim a second successive series Six Nations title earlier this year.
The only blemish on their record was a 23-22 defeat to England at Twickenham in March.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks are in high spirits after securing a spectacular 24-22 win over England on Saturday.