Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has said that the ban he received for his conduct in the Champions Cup Final in May was 'his own fault.'
During Leinster's game with the French side La Rochelle in May, Sexton, who was not playing due to injury, confronted the match officials.
Sexton's conduct was seen as 'unsportsmanlike' and was seen to have brought the sport of rugby union into 'disrepute.'
There were fears that Sexton would receive a long ban, but Sexton admitted the charge in July and was punished with a three-match ban, which kept him out of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup warm-ups against Italy, England, and Samoa. He is now free to play for Ireland and will lead Ireland in the World Cup in France.
This was a relief not only for Ireland fans but also for the Ireland squad.
Despite being frustrated with the process, the Ireland star has held his hands up and has taken responsibility for his actions in May.
“It has been incredibly frustrating to have to sit and watch,” he said at Ireland's World Cup squad launch on Sunday.
"Incredibly frustrating to have to sit and watch."
"It was particularly tough last weekend in the Aviva."
Johnny Sexton on the ban which has prevented him taking part in Ireland's RWC warm-up games...
"I regretted it instantly."@VodafoneIreland | #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/ntCcpHrf8F— Off The Ball (@offtheball) August 28, 2023
“Obviously, it’s my own fault. I just had to do what I could for the team, try to learn by watching the guys, try to contribute where I could, and it was particularly tough last weekend in the Aviva. But you live and learn, and I hope to move on now.
“I held my hands up straight away.
“I made a mistake in the heat of the moment; obviously, I was very emotional on the day. Not being part of what I had mapped out at the start of the year, which was playing my last game for Leinster in the Aviva and winning a European Cup.
“It’s one I had dreamt of, and then obviously to miss that, there was a lot of emotion, and in that split second when I went on to console my teammates, I made a remark and regretted it instantly.
“You make mistakes, you say sorry and hold your hands up, and that’s what I’ve done.”
Sexton also gave a special mention to his Leinster teammate Cian Healy, who missed out on a place in the squad because of a foot injury he picked up in the win over Samoa on Saturday.
Sexton added that he was gutted for his friend and teammate.
“He has been through ups and downs in his career; he’s a very, very decorated player, a great player. We’re going to miss him. I’m gutted for him to miss this tournament. It has meant a lot to him in how he has prepared for it and how he has trained. So I’m gutted for him,” he said.
Ireland kicks off their World Cup adventure in Bordeaux against Romania on Saturday, September 9th.
Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards (18):
Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham,Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, David Kilcoyne, Jeremy Loughman, Joe McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony, Tom O’Toole, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Josh van der Flier.
Backs (15):
Bundee Aki, Ross Byrne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Conor Murray, Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jonathan Sexton
Ireland Fixtures, Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool B:
- Ireland v Romania, Saturday 9 September, Stade de Bordeaux (2.30pm Irish time/3.30pm local time)
- Ireland v Tonga, Saturday 16 September, Stade de la Beaujoire (8pm Irish time/9pm local time)
- Ireland v South Africa, Saturday 23 September, Stade de France (8pm Irish time/9pm local time)
- Ireland v Scotland, Saturday 7 October, Stade de France (8pm Irish time/9pm local time)
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