Ireland head coach Johnny Sexton has condemned online racist abuse directed at debutant Edwin Edogbo, saying it tarnished the 23-year-old's special day. Edogbo, who was born in Cobh, County Cork to Nigerian parents, came on as a replacement in Ireland's 20-13 Six Nations victory over Italy at the Aviva Stadium.

Sexton told reporters that while Edogbo appeared unaffected by the abuse, the comments were "not right" and showed "it's horrible to see in this day and age that it still can exist like that." The Munster second row played the final 10 minutes of the match and received a huge cheer from the crowd before helping Ireland hold on for victory.

The Irish Rugby Football Union has launched an investigation into the "cowardly" racist abuse, working with Signify, a data technology company specializing in protecting against online abuse. The IRFU reaffirmed their zero-tolerance stance on racism, stating that such abuse has no place in Irish society. Social media posts celebrating Edogbo's first cap attracted numerous racist comments, prompting the union to work with relevant authorities to report the abuse.