Latest news with #JasmineJoyce-Butchers
Telegraph
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Joe Marler interview: Men's rugby players should do TikTok dances too
As a conversation that began by discussing greyhounds finishes on the merits of TikTok in rugby, Joe Marler offers a final pearl of wisdom. 'I think there are certain levels of disrespect and I've often got those levels wrong,' he admits. 'But until you get them wrong, you don't know where the right levels are.' His point being that the furore around Jasmine Joyce-Butchers's decision to participate in a TikTok with Sarah Bern, after Wales were recently hammered by England in the Women's Six Nations, is all a bit silly. Or, as he puts it, 'f------ hell, is this for real?' Marler acknowledges that 'social media allows everyone to be heard, which is fine'. That is the diplomacy out of the way. 'Some of the opinions on there… 'oh, you wouldn't see this in a men's game'. Well, it's not a f------ men's game. And maybe, it would be nice if you did see it in a men's game,' Marler tells Telegraph Sport. Here was a question put to Marler after he gave Joyce-Butchers some public backing for taking part in Bern's TikTok. Would he have been in the mood to film a 'chicken banana challenge' live on air immediately after being knocked out of the 2015 World Cup by Wales? Sarah Bern 🤝 Jasmine Joyce-Butchers Enemies on the field, TikTok dancing after the final whistle! 👯♀️ #BBCRugby #W6N — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 29, 2025 'In my head I replied 'well, TikTok wasn't around then, mate. If it had been, I might have considered it'. Maybe the men need to take a leaf out of the women's book, but the problem is it's not the same game. It's different demographics and fan bases. 'I was all for it. If the girls want to express themselves, then express themselves. And if the boys want to do the same, f------ get on board with it. But I think the people who do it must have a thick skin, and no matter what you do or how you do it, you're going to get some heat for it. Go forth and be whoever you want to be as long as it's not hurting and upsetting other people.' Yes, this is the same Marler whose disciplinary record after the final ban of his career – for making comments about the mother of Bristol Bears player Jake Heenan – was politely described by the disciplinary panel as 'poor'. But Marler, more than anyone, knows he has not been perfect. Plus, any time spent with him is rarely wasted. If you are still wondering about the greyhounds, Marler is an ambassador for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain's 'Adopt a Sporting Legend' campaign, helping to find new homes for former racing greyhounds. Life since retiring in November has certainly not been quiet. There are four children and three dogs to look after at home, as well as Marler's Things People Do podcast. And importantly his work with Team England Rugby which, as we approach the back end of the season, seems to be focused on managing the escalating workloads of England's players who, ideally, will be British and Irish Lions this summer. Tommy Freeman (26 games) and Maro Itoje (24 games) are two of several players set to soar past the 30-games-a-season welfare guideline, which is part of the latest Professional Game Agreement signed last year between the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and Rugby Players' Association. Marler's job is to make sure those players get the best care possible, but the 30-game guideline already feels a bit like hot air. 'Potentially five or six will get closer to that 40 number. So you go right, what's in place to look after these players? Technically, nothing is in place, because nothing is mandated,' Marler explains. 'It is about working out and discussing with the RFU, PRL and RPA what can be put in place to protect these players from a) not going over it and b) if we're accepting they are, what are we doing to protect them? Are we adjusting their training weeks? They have the 10-week stand-down after this season, so they won't have any pre-season games or anything. But we're currently looking at different ways [as well]. What more can we do to look after these players long term?' 'Everyone wants their pound of flesh from their top stars' One option under consideration is to copy a system used in National Rugby League in Australia, where the more professional seasons you play, the longer your off-season. Team England Rugby is not signatories on the PGP, merely there to advise. But its voice will be heard. 'We're looking to see what we can do without upsetting everyone,' Marler adds. 'Everyone wants their pound of flesh from their top stars of the game and it's up to us to say 'I know you want them to play, but what is in their best interests?'' There are, of course, some variations to consider and figure out. Will Stuart may have played 25 matches so far but his actual minutes played – around 1,100 – are considerably lower than Freeman's. While Marler can appreciate this is new territory for everyone, he also issues a warning. 'We are of the position that we accept this is new and everyone is still trying to work it out. But it cannot be at the expense of the players. They are not guinea pigs. How do we keep on top of it while we are still learning?' So often the jester during his career, for Marler the risks that come with player burnout are no laughing matter. Unsurprisingly, Marler will always be a Harlequins supporter. Yet he freely admits that he has not seen many of their games since retiring. 'I don't think I could be classed as a Quins spectator because I'm not sure how much I've actually seen. I keep my toe in rugby through the Team England stuff and in contact with the boys there, but I have sort of just been trying to find my way in the world. I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and watch the games,' he says. 'People ask if I miss it. I miss that big-game adrenalin, but I don't miss it. I think I dragged it out longer than I should have anyway. I'm proud and happy with the ups and downs that I experienced during my career, but now it's time to find out what the next job is for the next 40 years. I will always be a Quins supporter and keep an eye on the results.'
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Joyce-Butchers defends TikTok dance after heavy defeat
Jasmine Joyce-Butchers has defended her involvement in a post-match TikTok dance after Wales' heavy Six Nations defeat by Red Roses ran in 11 tries in front of a record Principality Stadium crowd of over 21,000 on prop Sarah Bern and Wales full-back Joyce-Butchers joined BBC Sport pundits for a live post-match interview and together performed a had done something similar with England fans after last weekend's win against Italy in York which went Joyce-Butchers' participation sparked backlash on social media after Wales had just lost by 55 points to their arch-rivals on home turf, with some calling it embarrassing and questioning the player's the three-time Olympian was quick to defend her actions."If we don't love what we do, then why do it?" she said on her Instagram."Yes I am upset, gutted, sad and disappointed with the result, but that doesn't mean I can't be happy, excited and smiling to see such an amazing crowd supporting us."Remember to be kind people and put your energy and effort into people who want and accept you for who you are." 'She doesn't need to sit in a dark room' Former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap was involved in the dance and said she did not have a problem with it as it was more about celebrating the occasion."We've got to let people be themselves and be the personalities they are," she told the Scrum V podcast."I feel for Jaz, I think some of the abuse that she's getting is not very nice and not really called for."She doesn't need to sit in a dark room. We're seeing a personality, she's obviously friends with Sarah Bern, they play in Bristol together."Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What we've always got to remember is women are different to men first and foremost and everyone processes their emotions differently and reacts in different ways."Rachel Taylor, another former Wales captain, said the dance was a "difficult one" to assess."It's just a bit of a strange response after a loss, but I just think their group mentality was to enjoy the day at the Principality and that's the sort of mood that they were in, but it's probably a strange one for some rugby fans," Taylor told BBC Radio Wales."The women's fans of the game are quite unique and quite different at times because of that relationship they have with the players, so it's probably a little bit more unusual from how the men's and women's rugby engage their fans."In the women's game the players have a unique opportunity to engage with the fans a lot closer and they really do share everything, they are so open on social media in terms of their personal lives and how they work." Another former Wales captain, Ellis Jenkins, also weighed in on the discussion on Scrum V."My first thought was 'I'm not sure how I feel about that' because it's not something I would have done when I was playing," he said."You've just lost an international game, but I am also a big believer that rugby in general almost struggles to grow because it hangs on to these old school 'values'."If rugby in general is going to grow as a sport you have to celebrate these individuals... you look at Marcus Smith, Finn Russell, Louis Rees-Zammit and they all come with loads of haters."Jenkins cited Ilona Maher's impact during her three-month stint at Bristol Bears, with one game having to move to Ashton Gate to accommodate demand for tickets to see the American superstar. "She's probably not amongst the best players in the world either, but her profile is what grows the game," Jenkins said."The women's game and the men's game is different."When I actually thought about it [the dance], it doesn't change the outcome of the game. As long as all the players are going hammer and tongs in the game and are taking it seriously."
The Guardian
29-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Wales v England: Women's Six Nations rugby union
Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Wales: Jasmine Joyce-Butchers; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (c), Kayleigh Powell, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Georgia Evans. Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Alaw Pyrs, Bryonie King, Megan Davies, Courtney Keight, Nel Metcalfe. England: Ellie Kildunne; Abby Dow, Megan Jones, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Natasha Hunt; Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward, Zoe Aldcroft (c), Sadia Kabeya, Maddie Feaunati. Replacements: Amy Cokayne, Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, Rosie Galligan, Abi Burton, Lucy Packer, Holly Aitchison, Helena Rowland. Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy) Share Two teams operating on different planes meet at the Principality Stadium this afternoon. England and Wales currently bookend the world's top 10 but have very different expectations for this game. The visitors are seeking a 'perfect game' as they build towards a home World Cup where victory is the only acceptable outcome. John Mitchell has shuffled his starting XV from the opening win over Italy, giving fringe players a chance to stake their claim. Wales, who will play in front of least 18,000 fans today, will aim to flourish in the spotlight, building on the narrow defeat to Scotland in the opening week. Still, a first victory over England since 2015 would be a seismic shock. With last year's wooden spoon winners rebuilding under new head coach Sean Lynn, focus may be on the performance rather than the scoreboard for Wales. With Welsh rugby in something of an existential funk, the women's side will be eager to avoid the kind of chastening defeat suffered by the men two weeks ago. England, on the other hand, are operating under exacting standards and unbeaten since the painful 2022 World Cup final defeat to New Zealand. Even in the 38-5 rout of Italy, there was a second-half drift that the team are keen to correct. It's a big afternoon for women's rugby in Wales; the hosts will hope it doesn't become a long one. Share
