Ferris whinging over the most favourable realistic punishment Sexton couldâve gotten. Gas stuff.
The explosive evidence, the timeline and the mitigation â everything you need to know about Johnny Sextonâs three-match ban
Jonathan Sexton of Leinster
Ruaidhri OâConnor
Today at 11:32
ON Sunday night at 9.30, the saga that has rumbled on beneath the sporting summer finally reached its climax and we learnt Johnny Sextonâs World Cup fate.
Ever since the end of the epic Heineken Champions Cup final between Leinster and La Rochelle, thereâs been a threat hanging over the Ireland captainâs World Cup.
At first, it appeared to centre around the events of half-time when the injured Leinster star was involved in a confrontation with his old rival Ronan OâGara outside the refereeâs room.
However, it soon became clear that tournament organisers European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) were far more concerned about the veteran out-halfâs behaviour at the end of the game, when he took to the field in his suit to remonstrate with the officials about their performance during the game.
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The process has been painstakingly slow, taking a month of letters flying between Leinster and EPCRâs Swiss headquarters before they decided to form a disciplinary panel and pursue a charge of misconduct against Sexton and his club who they said âfailed to controlâ their player.
Last Thursday, an independent disciplinary committee heard evidence via video link from Sexton, Leinster, Ireland coach Andy Farrell and all of the match officials involved.
The committee was chaired by World Rugby Independent Judicial Panel Chair Christopher Quinlan KC who was joined by Adam Casseldon SC who is an Australian barrister who used to chair SANZAARâs Judicial Committee and former Portugal international and lawyer Marcello DâOrey.
Sexton was joined by Leinster chief executive Shane Nolan and Ireland manager Mick Kearney. Sexton and Leinser were represented by solicitor Derek Hegarty, a partner in William Fryâs Litigation and Investigations department who played rugby for Leinster and Munster and toured South Africa without winning an Ireland cap in 1998, and barrister Michael Cush SC.
They went through the events of that evening in painstaking detail, then took Friday, Saturday and Sunday to compose their thoughts, reach a finding and publish the full written decision.
In the end, Sexton was hit with a three-match ban, mitigated down from six, which means he will not play a part in any of Irelandâs World Cup warm-up matches against Italy, England and Samoa. He will, however, be available for the opening match of the tournament against Romania on September 9.
The Charge
Sexton was hit with a misconduct complaint that charged that: âafter the match, he publicly confronted the match officials and made statements, gestures and behaved in a way that was disrespectful and/or insulting and/or abusive and/or impugned their integrity and/or denigrated their performanceâ
The misconduct was alleged to have taken place across three separate incidents in a period of several minutes between the match finishing and the team of match officials leaving the field. Video evidence was provided to support the charge.
Incident one occurred just after the full-time whistle, when âSexton approached the match officials and on three separate occasions gestured towards them and/or spoke to them inappropriatelyâ.
In a letter to EPCR on June 23, Leinster acknowledged that Sexton had said it was âa disgrace the match officials had not got the big decisions rightâ and using an expletive while doing so.
In the second incident at the start of the medalsâ presentation, Sexton â who was accompanied by his son Luca at the time â was accused of standing behind the match officials, âlooking at them and directing further inappropriate comments at themâ.
In the third, Sexton is accused of approaching the match officials for a second time after the medals presentation and following them at a short distance.
Leinster, meanwhile, were accused of failing to prevent Sexton from interacting inappropriately with the officials or to âexercise reasonable and proper control over its persons on or off the playing enclosureâ and a âfailure or refusal by a club to observe and/or instil among its Persons a sufficient degree of respect for the Laws of the Gameâ.
The Timeline
The match took place on May 20, with La Rochelle coming from 17-0 down to beat Leinster 27-26.
After the match, EPCR issued a statement in which is said it would investigate an incident in the tunnel.
On May 30, a South African newspaper released video footage of Sexton interacting with Jaco Peyper and his match officials Karl Dickson, Christophe Ridley and Tom Foley. In the Rapport report, it was alleged that Sexton told the referee he was âa f***ing disgraceâ.
On June 8, EPCR Disciplinary Officer Liam McTiernan wrote to Leinster chief executive Nolan to ask for the assistance of the province and Sexton in their investigation into four incidents on matchday and specifically Sextonâs conduct after the match.
On June 11, news of the letter appeared in the London website City AM which carried new video footage of the incident and speculated he could miss the World Cup.
On June 13, Nolan replied setting out Sexton and Leinsterâs account.
On June 15, a second video appeared on City AM, showing another altercation between Sexton and the match officials.
On June 16, McTiernan wrote to Nolan again looking for Sexton and Leinster to submit further information in response to specific requests and included videos of the alleged incidents.
On June 23, Leinsterâs Head of Rugby Operations Guy Easterby submitted a steatement along with Nolanâs response and Leinster also included a thread of emails including EPCR head of match officials Tony Spreadbury and Leinster coach Leo Cullen.
On June 29, EPCR announced the misconduct complaint. On July 4, the four match officials shared their accounts of what happened with the panel. They were obtained after the complaint was raised.
On July 5, Sexton was asked to clarify the precise words heâs used to match officials having previously described them as âa remark⌠critical of their performance which he regrets and for which he has apologisedâ.
Sexton responded, saying he did not recall the exact words he spoke but said they reflected âa verbal expression to himself of the acute disappointment he was feeling at the timeâ.
The panel held the hearing on Thursday, July 13 and took the weekend to consider their judgement and compose their written decision, before releasing it last night.
The Evidence
All four match officials were called to give evidence.
South African referee Jaco Peyper told the hearing that Sextonâs behaviour after full-time was âaggressiveâ and âhostileâ.
âI became aware that Sexton was approaching my assistants and I, speaking loudly and angrily. Match officials commonly refer to this type of behaviour as âsprayingâ,â he recalled.
âI could not hear what he was saying because of the noise in the stadium, but from his body language, facial expressions, and his gestures (he pointed at us as he was speaking), I could tell that he was upset. It was clear from his increasing proximity and aggressive demeanour that he wished to confront us and did so intentionally.
âMy assistants were also aware of his hostile reaction, and one (Karl Dickson) reached across to keep him at distance, before he moved away from us and approached a gathering of Leinster Rugby players and staff.
âFollowing our instruction to move across to the medal presentation position, my assistants, the TMO and I became aware that Johnny Sexton had followed us across the field and taken up a position a few metres behind us and to our left.
âHe was with a little boy. As soon as we realised that he had taken up a position behind us and was staring at us, we turned our backs to try and avoid any further confrontation with him.
âFollowing the award of our medals, my assistants, the TMO and I left the stage and made our way across to the position identified by match manager. We became aware that Johnny Sexton had turned this way too and started to follow us.
âWe decided to leave the pitch⌠There was no further engagement with Johnny Sexton once we had left the field, and I was not aware of any continuation of his behaviour, which had been provocative throughout. I was very pleased that nobody on my team of four reacted. I have not received any contact post-match around this matter from Leinster Club or Johnny Sexton, and also no explanation or apology of any form for this conduct.â
In response to Peyperâs account, Sextonâs barrister âmade it clear to Peyper that Sexton accepted his conduct in incident 1 was âcompletely unacceptableâ for which he âapologised unreservedlyâ. However, he disputed the length of eye contact in incident 2 with Peyper saying he looked away to avoid further eye contact.
The other match officialsâ testimony backs up the referee, with assistant Dickson outlining how heâd reached across to intercept Sexton and Ridley saying he was approached late on in the piece by a calmer Sexton who wanted to discuss the decisions. The English assistant declined.
Sexton also had an interaction with Spreadbury, the head of referees, at full-time. He subsequently called the English former referee who also exchanged emails with Cullen in the aftermath of the game.
Spreadbury said that Sexton shouted at him in the technical area, describing it as âsprayingâ. He then observed Sexton giving the match officials âa sprayingâ.
Spreadbury said that the match officials considered not going to the post-match function because of Sextonâs attitude towards them.
On May 22, Sexton texted Spreadbury and said he wished to apologise for the way heâd spoken to him after the match. The two spoke on the phone for âa few minutesâ that evening, with Sexton saying the emotion of the occasion had gotten the better of him. Spreadbury accepted Sextonâs apology, but said he didnât mention the match officials during the call.
EPCR Disciplinary Official McTiernan asserted that Sextonâs conduct was âintimidatoryâ and that the incidents lasted 15/16 minutes after the game, âduring which he publicly confronted them, made statements and gestures and behaved in a way that was disrespectful and/or insulting and/or abusive and/or impugned their integrity and/or denigrated their performance. He also said Leinster were liable for Sextonâs conduct.
Sexton then gave evidence, outlining his version of events and stating that he regrets making, and apologises for, a remark which was critical of the match officialsâ performance. He said it was not premeditated and that he was on the pitch as a club captain walking on to console his teammates.
In regard to the second incident, Sexton said the position of the match officials had nothing to do with where he stood with his son and that he was simply joining his teammates. He said any remarks he made were not intended to be heard by the match officials and Sexton is certain they could not have been heard.
âThey were simply a verbal expression to himself of the acute disappointment he was feeling at the time.â
In relation to the third incident, Sexton says he was attempting to apologise to Ridley who ushered him away.
Crucially, Sexton accepted the accuracy of the video footage and said his conduct was inappropriate in relation to the first interaction, but rejected any wrongdoing in the second and third incidents.
âMr Sexton accepts his actions in addressing the match officials during Incident 1 as described in the Reply to the Investigation Letter, were wrong and although carried out in a moment of unique and exceptional emotional intensity, were inappropriate and disrespectful of the authority of the Match Officials, and on that basis Mr Sexton accepts those actions constitute Misconduct. Please note this should not be construed as an admission of any other act of Misconduct,â the report read.
Sexton told the hearing he didnât remember his exact words, but believes he used an expletive as he approached the officials and said something like: âItâs a disgrace you guys canât get the big decisions rightâ.
In summary Sexton accepted that he âpushed the lineâ with referees at times during his playing career but ârecognised the vital role they have in the game and the need for respectâ. He confirmed he intends to retire at the end of the World Cup.
Leinsterâs evidence supported Sextonâs account and accepted that if Sextonâs actions constituted misconduct then Leinster would be responsible.
The Decision
The panel found Sexton committed misconduct.
In regard to incident 1, the committee found that Sextonâs âwords and actions were confrontational, aggressive and disrespectful of the match officials. His conduct was obviously unsportsmanlike and brought the sport of rugby union into disrepute. That is Misconduct, as he admitted.â
In regard to incident 2, the committee found that the interaction was âa continuation of his hostile animus towards the match officials. He was still publicly venting his anger towards them and had yet to regain his composure. His conduct was unsportsmanlike and aggravates Incident 1. In regard to incident 3, the committee found that this interaction was not misconduct.
Leinster were found to have failed to prevent Sexton from interacting inappropriately with the match officials and said that constitutes misconduct.
EPCR acknowledged that Sexton had a right to be on the pitch after the game and was accredited to be there, however âhe was in an obviously agitated stateâ and they believe Leinster should have noticed and taken âreasonable stepsâ to ensure he behaved appropriately and didnât engage with the officials.
The Sanction
The committee considered 22 previous cases of misconduct involving abuse of match officials as it reached a decision on what punishment it should mete out to Sexton who they said had brought the sport into disrepute.
They remarked on Sextonâs standing in the game, while also said that there is a âhuman costâ to abuse of match officials.
However, they found there was a âgood deal of genuine mitigationâ.
Sexton admitted misconduct early and his candid evidence helped establish the case of the misconduct.
The committee said his disciplinary record is âexcellentâ, while his apology to Spreadbury counted in his favour â even if he could have helped his case further by apologising to Peyper, Dickson, Ridley and Foley directly.
Sexton also received character references, although it is not said who supplied them.
The panel found that the misconduct was serious enough for a ban. They handed him the shortest possible sanction under the laws of three matches and said it would have been six but for the mitigation.
That means Sexton will miss Irelandâs matches against Italy on August 5, England on August 19 and Samoa and August 26. He will be free to play at the World Cup.
Ireland coach Andy Farrell provided evidence that, were he not banned, Sexton âwill be involved in the three warm-up games that we have coming upâ. Since Sexton has been âout of the game through injury since March 18, 2023â, Farrell said Ireland âfeel that this would be the minimum number of games that he will need to be fit for the start of the World Cup.â
Irelandâs team doctor, Dr Ciaran Cosgrove, gave evidence that Sexton is fit to play and the committee were satisfied that he would be selected.
Sexton was not fined or ordered to take any sort of refereeing course. Sexton has committed to apologising to the officials involved.
Leinster were fined ÂŁ7,500, which has been suspended for the 2023/24 season. If the province commits another act of Misconduct before the end of that season, they mist pay that fine.
EPCR, Sexton and Leinster can appeal.
The Fallout
Although Farrell said he intended to play Sexton in all three warm-up games, thereâll be relief in the Ireland camp that the captain escaped a further ban.
Indeed, thereâs been a strong backlash to the decision online, with many pundits and fans feeling that Sexton got off lightly considering the strength of charge and some of the language used.
Ireland will hope that he can build his match fitness during the tournament and it means he will likely play in every game, with the Romania match on September 9 nearly six months since his last match.
A real pity for Ireland that games will be used up in the warm ups for the ban. Advantage everyone else having Johnny on the pitch for the World Cup.
Reminiscent of the âthundering/fuckingâ disgrace outburst from Paddy Donegan that led to the resignation of President OâDalaigh.
Youâd expect the referees will be very sympathetic towards him in the RWC.
His card beyond marked now
Great for Byrne and Crowley
Crowley had one drop goal against Leinster B team and then all the Munster lads think he should be starting for Ireland in the WC 
What an absolute fucking wanker
Ross Byrne didnât have the cojones to do with Crowley did. Thatâs the long and short of it.
Yup, and where did I compare the two?
How is Munster v Crusaders a big game? Munster will be missing their Ireland players.
Sounds like it was an Irish solution to an Irish problem tbh.
Tickets for World cup on open sale this evening
What time?
Sorry, only seeing your response now. Was on when I posted, got extra tickets to Scotland match
Rugby country
https://twitter.com/gavinocal/status/1681713292958367749?s=46&t=hy6wc4bLZMiyfotc20UniQ
What grown up would say âsuper frustratedâ?
Lads from the 5 a side got sorted for one of the semi finals too. They usually free up after the pools though anyways.