Ireland and New Zealand will renew one of modern rugby's great rivalries this weekend when they clash under the Friday night lights in the Aviva Stadium.
While before 2016 Ireland had never beaten the All Blacks, Joe Schmidt's historic win in Chicago certainly turned the tide. Since then Ireland and New Zealand have developed one of the sport's fiercest rivalries, both winning four of the eight games they've played in the intervening period.
On the field that rivalry has only been heightened by the magnitude of Ireland's 2022 tour win in New Zealand, and the All Black's RWC revenge, when they knocked Ireland out of the 2023 RWC at the quarter-final stage.
Off the field, Johnny Sexton's spat with Rieko Ioane, which the pair sensationally reignited upon the release of Sexton's autobiography Obsessed, has dominated headlines, adding fuel to an already raging fire.
With the two sides set to face off for the first time since that World Cup elimination and Sexton's Ioane allegations, Irish journalist Gerry Thornley had quite the idea for now-retired Sexton to once again give Ireland a competitive edge.
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14 October 2023; Jonathan Sexton of Ireland and Rieko Ioane of New Zealand after the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between Ireland and New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Gerry Thornley has idea to raise tensions ahead of Ireland v New Zealand
Irish Times journalist Gerry Thornley was making a guest appearance on the New Zealand radio show SENZ Breakfast, when he delivered quite the suggestion to get under the All Black's skin ahead of Friday's clash.
Certainly, the publication of Johnny Sexton’s biography (in) reference to what Rieko Ioane said to him at the handshake after the full-time whistle and their exchange and what each said to the other, it’s certainly added a frisson of anticipation.
I broke the story that Johnny Sexton has been brought back in as an advisor to the out-halves in the squad, even though he said he would never get into coaching. I broke that story… I really, really hope that he will be on the pitch on Friday night, half an hour or an hour before kick-off.
I’m sure Rieko Ioane is going to be the pantomime villain to end all pantomime villains.
In fairness to Thornley, Sexton and Rieko Ioane facing off once again would be quite the way to raise the tensions heading into what should be a nail-biting affair.
Thornley did add that when all is said and done, Sexton should probably treat Ioane to a pint for all his help selling the book.
I do think afterwards when it’s all over, Johnny should bring him to the bar and buy him a couple of pints for selling at least 10 or 20,000 copies extra of the book
While Sexton might not be there on Friday night to stoke the tensions, he very well could be there in his new role as part-time coach to the Irish out halves.
Sexton has been helping Ireland's relatively inexperienced out halves Ciaran Frawley, Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast prepare for Friday's game, but whether that will require Sexton's presence in the Aviva is very much so yet to be seen.
Ireland take on New Zealand in the Aviva Stadium this Friday the 8th of November at 8:10 pm.
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