Put that in the book, along with a win in Dublin
In the long theatre of sporting rivalry, some grudges outlast the final whistle — and even retirement itself. When New Zealand's Rieko Ioane stepped onto the Aviva Stadium turf on Friday night, he carried with him the weight of a World Cup slight, a published insult, and something to prove. The All Blacks won 23-13, their first Dublin victory in eight years, and Ioane — cryptic, deliberate, unapologetic — ensured the story would not end with the autobiography that sought to define him.
- A crude retirement jab from last year's World Cup quarter-final had been immortalised in Johnny Sexton's memoir, thrusting Ioane back into a controversy he claimed to have moved past.
- Ioane stepped forward to lead the Haka before kickoff — a pointed act of presence in a stadium that had every reason to want him diminished.
- Garry Ringrose delivered a punishing tackle that briefly gave the home crowd hope, but Ireland's error-riddled performance ultimately surrendered the evening to New Zealand.
- The All Blacks claimed a 23-13 victory, their first in Dublin in eight years, turning what could have been hostile ground into a stage for vindication.
- Ioane closed the night with an Instagram post — 'Put that in the book,' beside a joker card — transforming Sexton's autobiography from an exposé into an unwitting gift.
The All Blacks arrived in Dublin carrying a grudge that had been simmering since last year's World Cup quarter-final. Rieko Ioane had told a retiring Johnny Sexton exactly what he thought of him — in terms far from polite — and Sexton had chosen to preserve the moment in his newly published autobiography, 'Obsessed.' Rather than retreat from the spotlight, Ioane leaned into it, leading the Haka before kickoff at the Aviva Stadium as a deliberate declaration of intent.
The match itself unfolded in New Zealand's favour. Garry Ringrose, Sexton's former Leinster teammate, delivered a crunching tackle that briefly stirred the home crowd, but Ireland looked rusty and error-prone throughout. The All Blacks won 23-13 — their first victory in Dublin in eight years — and the result felt like more than a scoreline.
When the final whistle sounded, Ioane posted match photographs on Instagram with a caption reading 'Put that in the book,' accompanied by a joker card emoji. Before the game, he had spoken carefully about leaving the past behind, framing the World Cup incident as ordinary on-field friction. But his actions — the Haka, the composure under Ringrose's hit, the pointed social media sign-off — told a different story entirely. The autobiography meant to expose him had instead handed him a script, and he had performed it to the letter.
The All Blacks arrived in Dublin on Friday night carrying a grudge that had been simmering since last year's World Cup. Rieko Ioane, the New Zealand winger, had told Johnny Sexton to enjoy his retirement—using language considerably harsher than that—after Ireland's quarter-final loss. Sexton, now retired, had chosen to air the insult in his newly published autobiography, 'Obsessed.' The book gave Ioane a starring role as the villain, and the 27-year-old seemed to relish the part.
Instead of avoiding the spotlight, Ioane led the All Blacks' Haka before kickoff at the Aviva Stadium, a deliberate statement of presence. Early in the match, Sexton's former Leinster teammate Garry Ringrose delivered a crunching tackle that sent Ioane to the turf—a moment that suggested the home crowd might have its revenge. But the evening belonged to New Zealand. The All Blacks dismantled an Ireland side that looked rusty and error-prone, winning 23-13 in what amounted to their first victory in Dublin in eight years.
When the final whistle sounded, Ioane had the last word again. He posted photographs from the match on Instagram with a caption that read, 'Put that in the book,' accompanied by a joker card emoji. The message was unmistakable: he had come to Dublin, faced down the ghosts of last year's quarter-final, and left with a win. The autobiography that was meant to expose him had instead given him a platform.
Before the match, Ioane had tried to downplay the whole affair. He spoke about the World Cup incident as something that belonged to the past, part of the natural friction that happens on a rugby field. 'There's stuff that happens on the field that is all part of the game,' he said. He insisted he hadn't dwelled on the retirement jab, that the focus had to be forward-looking, on performance rather than emotion. It was a measured statement from a player trying to seem above the fray.
But his actions told a different story. Leading the Haka, absorbing Ringrose's tackle, and then posting that photograph with its pointed caption—these were the moves of someone who understood the value of narrative, who knew that in rugby, as in life, the person who gets the last word often wins the argument. Sexton's book had been meant to settle accounts. Instead, it had given Ioane a script to work from, and he had performed it perfectly.
Notable Quotes
There's stuff that happens on the field that is all part of the game. I didn't think too much of it and that's where I am at the moment.— Rieko Ioane, before the match
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does this moment matter so much? It's just a rugby match.
Because it's not really about rugby. It's about two players who had a moment of genuine hostility, and one of them decided to make it public through a book. That changes everything.
But Ioane said before the match that he'd moved on from it.
He did. And he probably meant it. But when you show up in someone's autobiography as the guy who told them to enjoy retirement with a slur attached, you don't really get to move on quietly. The book made sure of that.
So the Instagram post was inevitable?
More than inevitable—it was the only logical response. Ioane came to Dublin, his team won, and he got to say, 'See? I was right.' The book gave him the perfect closing line.
Did Sexton make a mistake publishing that story?
That depends on what Sexton wanted. If he wanted to settle things, he opened a door he couldn't close. If he wanted to show what it's like to be in the arena, he succeeded. But he also handed Ioane a gift.
What happens next?
Nothing, probably. Ioane got his win. The book is out. The story is closed. Unless they meet again, and then it all starts over.