Munster and Ireland great Donncha O\u2019Callaghan has labelled Leinster\u2019s decision to sign Rieko Ioane as \u2018bizarre\u2019 but believes that he has been \u2018harshly\u2019 criticised during his stint at the Irish club.<\/p>\n
The All Blacks<\/a> veteran joined Leo Cullen\u2019s men on a short-term deal until the end of the season before linking back up with the Blues ahead of the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a similar deal to the one that Jordie Barrett signed last season, a move that was extremely beneficial for both parties.<\/p>\n However, Ioane\u2019s<\/a> time in Dublin hasn\u2019t been looked upon as kindly with fans being critical of his performances, but O\u2019Callaghan has questioned the signing on a personal note rather than a performance-based view.<\/p>\n Ioane-Sexton spat<\/p>\n This is after Ioane clashed with Johnny Sexton<\/a> after the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and New Zealand.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd as I stand there, hands on hips, staring in disbelief at [referee Wayne] Barnes, Rieko Ioane still comes up to me and tells me, \u2018Get back ten metres\u2019,\u201d Sexton wrote in his autobiography.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Huh?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Penalty,\u2019 he says. \u2018Back ten.\u2019 And then, after Barnes blows the final whistle, he says, \u2018Don\u2019t miss your flight tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement, you c***.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cSo much for the All Blacks\u2019 famous \u2018no d***heads\u2019 policy. So much for their humility. I walk after Ioane and call him a fake-humble f****r. It doesn\u2019t look great, me having a go at one of them just after we\u2019ve lost. But I can\u2019t be expected to ignore that.\u201d<\/p>\n After New Zealand\u2019s 23-13 victory at Aviva Stadium in 2024, he clapped back, posting several pictures of himself during the game and one of Heath Ledger\u2019s Joker with the caption: \u201cPut that in the book\u201d.<\/p>\n A few months later, Leinster<\/a> announced the signing of Ioane, a deal that took most by surprise and one that O\u2019Callaghan is still left questioning.<\/p>\n Israel Dagg thought Rieko Ioane deal was an \u2018April Fool\u2019 after X-rated outburst from Leinster\u2019s \u2018favourite son\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI found that to be a weird signing anyway. Genuinely,\u201d he said on The Offload podcast.<\/p>\n \u201cCalibre and talent through the roof, a perfect fit, but when one of your favourite sons in Johnny Sexton doesn\u2019t get on with him and then you pull him in\u2026 you know what I mean? I found it really bizarre and a bit crazy.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I know it was at the time, it was \u2018Get everything to win this competition\u2019, but I think what Leinster have done differently this year is found different ways. If they were finding a different way with someone from their own production line there, but I don\u2019t want to take away from him in terms of his quality.\u201d<\/p>\n