Johnny Sexton exchanges words with New Zealand’s Rieko Ioane during the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
From the moment he announced the move via his own social media channels early one morning last April, Leinster signing Rieko Ioane has been one of Irish rugby’s more unusual transfers.
Perhaps when the chance to sign an 88-times capped All Black crosses your desk you simply cannot say no, yet from the outset the Auckland Blue appeared a strange fit from a culture, squad-management and playing-style point of view.