Johnny Sexton reveals 'regret' over Jaco Peyper incident which ...

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has stated that the ban which almost put his Rugby World Cup in doubt was “his own fault”.

Following Leinster’s Champions Cup final defeat to La Rochelle in May, Sexton, who was not playing due to injury, confronted the match officials.

A committee’s report into the matter concluded that the 38-year-old pointed the finger at the officials and said something along the lines of: “It’s a disgrace you guys can’t get the big decisions right,” with expletives ‘probably’ included.

The panel decided that he was “confrontational and aggressive towards and disrespectful of the match officials”, and that “his conduct was obviously unsportsmanlike and brought the sport of rugby union into disrepute.”

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.

The fly-half is now free to play and could line up for Ireland in their opening match of the tournament against Romania.

He still ‘regrets’ his actions that day and it ultimately had consequences for the playmaker, who was unable to have a proper send off in front of his supporters.

With the World Cup the pivot’s swansong, Ireland’s match against England on August 19 would have been his last at the Aviva Stadium had he been available.

“It has been incredibly frustrating to have to sit and watch,” he said.

“Obviously it’s my own fault. I just had to do what I could for the team and 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 was playing my last game for Leinster in the Aviva, 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.”

While Sexton will get the opportunity to play in the 2023 World Cup, injury has cruelly denied fellow Ireland great Cian Healy.

The loosehead prop looked in significant discomfort when he was replaced during the team’s 17-13 victory over Samoa on Saturday.

Andy Farrell confirmed that he will miss the tournament when he named his 33-man squad on Sunday, which did not include Healy.

And Sexton revealed his anguish at seeing his friend and team-mate ruled out of the World Cup just before the start of the competition.

“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.

Sexton will play in his fourth – and final – World Cup after featuring for Ireland in 2011, 2015 and 2019, and insists that there is no shortage of motivation.

“(It means) A huge amount. You know, if someone told me four years ago I’d be back here as captain I would have taken it, 100 per cent,” he added.

“So there’s a lot been put into this team by the management over the last four years, and to get their vote of confidence four years ago to do it with this as the end goal has been huge.

“So very proud for myself, for my family and for the group that we have it’s a privileged position to be in with such a good group.”

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