Latest news with #SarahBern
The Star
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-England pip brilliant France 43-42 to claim seventh straight Six Nations
Rugby Union - Women's Six Nations - England v France - Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London, Britain - April 26, 2025 England's Sarah Bern in action with France's Manae Feleu, Alexandra Chambon and Madoussou Fall Raclot Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra LONDON (Reuters) -England overcame an irrepressible France 43-42 at Twickenham on Saturday to clinch a Grand Slam and seventh successive Women's Six Nations title, that also extended their record winning streak in the tournament to 34 matches. The Red Roses were clinical in attack during a breathless first half that saw tries from Abby Dow, Emma Sing(2), Lark Atkin-Davies and Claudia MacDonald, but leaked three scores to their resilient and opportunistic visitors to squander a 31-7 lead and leave it 31-21 at halftime. England captain Zoe Aldcroft finished after Abby Dow cut through before French winger Kelly Arbey replied as the game sustained its breakneck, tit-for-tat pace in the second half. France were never out of the game and when Joanna Grisez scorched over down the left to make it 43-42 with a minute left to go, the upset for an England team that had not lost a Six Nations game since 2018 looked on before the hosts finally triumphed. It was a showcase of attacking rugby from both sides that left serious questions about England's defence, ahead of a home World Cup in August that they are desperate to win and exorcise the demons of their defeat in the 2021 final. (Reporting By Lawrence White, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
The Guardian
20-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Abuse I received for TikTok video after Women's Six Nations defeat was crazy
The abuse and hate messages I received for doing a TikTok dance live on the BBC after Wales's defeat by England was crazy. On Instagram I received a few DMs saying: 'You're an embarrassment, what do you think you're doing?' That doesn't affect me because we get criticism all the time for different things: losing a game, dropping a high ball. I am not hugely active on X and it was not until those of my friends who aren't big fans of rugby were checking in on me to see if I was OK that I realised the extent of the abuse on social media. It was bizarre – how did it get that far? I just did a TikTok video. After the game I might be smiling. I am happy and engaging with fans, but that does not mean I am happy inside. When people say: 'She shouldn't have acted like that', how should I have reacted? Should I be sad, crying and go straight in and be angry? This article includes content provided by TikTok. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. I understand we lost and the men wouldn't do it, but it's a different brand and ballgame to what the men do. I don't regret doing it at all. The support myself and Sarah Bern have had off the back of it has shown it is a different game. Receiving abuse isn't new to me, the other Wales girls or players across the sport. I even got shouted at while playing for my club, Bristol Bears, in the Premiership Women's Rugby semi-final against Gloucester-Hartpury last month. A supporter in the stand said: 'Go back to grassroots sport.' That's not acceptable. If you believe that then why have you come to watch? I don't experience it every game, but all of us do receive negative comments and for different reasons. We get comments like 'She can't tackle' or 'Oh God, she looks big' or'What has she done with her hair?' At the Rugby World Cup three years ago I was getting comments like: 'Jaz can't tackle.' I significantly reduced the time I spend on X at that point because didn't need to see it. The negatives were outweighing the positives. I spoke to my wife, Alisha, about coming off social media completely, but I get sponsors from it. If it wasn't helping my work I would come off it. I don't think it has any positive relevance to my life. The TikTok abuse has been a footnote to my Six Nations and I have been fully focused on the tournament, which Wales have been navigating with our new head coach, Sean Lynn. While we haven't recorded a win, performances have been improving and that is in part thanks to the culture and environment Lynny has created. It's an open and safe place to be and everyone is enjoying it. I have no bad words to say about Lynny – he is brilliant and well-respected among the group. He has done a lot for Gloucester-Hartpury, his rugby CV is really good. I was asked the other day to sum him up in one word and I said 'engaging'. When he is speaking people are listening. He is hilarious, but he also has a stern side that has come out sometimes in training, but only in understandable moments. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion We have seen a lot of change. Everyone is enjoying it a lot more. No one is anxious going into training or anxious because you're going to get pulled up over doing something silly. So off the pitch has been amazing. On the pitch it has been a bit tricky as Lynny's first full day came just before our first Six Nations game and there was not much he could put in place. He hasn't changed anything drastically, but he has started to drip bits and bobs in throughout the weeks and we are definitely getting better on pitch in defence and attack. The more Sean can be in and around training, the more he can change and adapt and tailor drills to suit each player, the better Wales are going to get. Ireland are next up on Sunday and we need to make sure we put them under stress and take them to dark places in their performance. They played well against England last time out and one key aspect for us will be nullifying the fly‑half, Dannah O'Brien. She is amazing. When I watch her play I'm puzzled by how she has so much time on the ball. She also kicks huge distances and as a full-back I keep thinking: 'How do I even defend that?' She definitely makes me nervous, especially in the backfield. She absolutely runs their game, is the soul of Ireland's attack and can put some shots in as well. We've also got great kickers and so hopefully we can isolate her. Lynny's message has been to be excited for the game against Ireland and our final game against Italy and he believes we can produce good performances. Wales are definitely capable of coming away with a win in this tournament. Jaz Joyce-Butchers has played 42 times for Wales and has competed in three Olympics in rugby sevens for Team GB
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
England v Scotland: Score and latest Women's Six Nations updates
19 April 2025 4:19pm 4:19PM Previous encounters 2024: Scotland 0-46 England 2023: England 58-7 Scotland 2022: Scotland 5-57 England 2021: England 52-10 Scotland 2020: Scotland 0-53 England 2019: England 80-0 Scotland 2018: Scotland 8-43 England 4:14PM Injuries for the visitors It's not that this match is a foregone conclusion but... England are on a 23-match winning streak against Scotland, who are missing a number of key personnel for today's match. Rachel Malcolm, their experienced captain, and Leia Brebner-Holden, their first-choice scrum-half, are both out with concussion. Alex Stewart and Hollie Cunningham are also unavailable due to unspecified injuries, meaning Scotland's bench is looking abnormally light on experience. Bryan Easson, the Scotland head coach, has opted for 5-3 split today - having fielded 6-2 splits in each of the last three rounds - but his unhelpfully long injury list has forced him to have a major rethink. Hartpury back-row Gemma Bell, who only joined Scotland's camp a few days ago, is one of three uncapped players on the bench. To put Scotland's lack of experience into context, Sarah Bern, Abbie Ward and Marlie Packer each have more caps individually than Scotland's entire bench combined. 4:09PM Scotland's results and fixtures Scotland 24-21 Wales France 38-15 Scotland Scotland 17-25 Italy England vs Scotland (today) Scotland vs Ireland (next weekend) 4:04PM Visitors in the house In the building 🏟️ #AsOne — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) April 19, 2025 4:01PM England's results and fixtures in this Six Nations England 38-5 Italy Wales 12-67 England Ireland 5-49 England England vs Scotland (today) England vs France (next weekend) 3:55PM Current table France- 19 points (4 games) England- 15 points (3 games) Ireland- 5 points (3 games) Italy- 5 points (4 games) Scotland- 4 points (3 games) Wales- 1 point (3 games) 3:49PM Hosts arrive What a welcome in Leicester 😍 #ENGvSCO #GuinnessW6N — Red Roses (@RedRosesRugby) April 19, 2025 3:42PM Teams England starting XV: Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins); Abby Dow (Ealing Trailfinders), Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers), Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury), Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), Lucy Packer (Harlequins); Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears), Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, captain), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs). Replacements: May Campbell (Saracens), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning). Scotland starting XV: Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders); Rhona Lloyd (Stade Bordelais), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Lisa Thomson (Ealing Trailfinders), Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers); Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning, captain), Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders); Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Becky Boyd (Loughborough Lightning), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Jade Konkel (Harlequins). Replacements: Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning), Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh), Adelle Ferrie (Edinburgh), Gemma Bell (Gloucester-Hartpury), Rhea Clarke (Edinburgh Rugby), Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks), Lucia Scott (Gloucester-Hartpury). 3:36PM Match preview England host Scotland at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in round four of the Women's Six Nations. England are aiming for a seventh successive title and have won three from three so far with bonus points secured in all three games. They began their campaign with a 38-5 home win over Italy before thrashing Wales 12-67 in Cardiff on matchday two. In game three they won 5-49 over in Ireland to put them at the top of the standings, one point ahead of France. Their winning run now spans 23 games and they have won 53 of their last 54 Test matches, with their last defeat coming in the 2022 World Cup final against New Zealand. With a home World Cup on the horizon later this year, every game takes on added importance not only in attempting to win yet another Six Nations title but also acting as preparation for the biggest prize. Abbie Ward, who starts for England this afternoon, has spoken this week about the pressure on England every time they go out to play. 'We know teams will always step up against us to knock us off. We are happy with that and take it in our stride,' Ward told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly. 'England will always have pressure. It is not going anywhere. Success is not about results or points difference, it is about the performance. It is also about team cohesion. We have had some good results but also some sticky performances. We want to keep growing that team cohesion and the ability to grow our game plan.' Former England captain Marlie Packer, who was replaced as captain by Zoe Aldcroft at the start of the year, comes back into the team today and Ward has been singing the praises of the Saracens forward. 'Marlie is a fantastic leader and always will be, whether she is wearing the armband or not,' said Ward. 'She was always an incredible leader before, she has stepped up so naturally, nothing has changed. Whether she is playing or not, Marlie is always inputting. She is always helping the squad get better. Even if she is not on the pitch, she brings her experience, that energy and that ferocity, but she also has this other side where she brings a calmness to the squad. She has been in tough games, she has been on the sides of huge wins and also losses. That is just invaluable to us. When she brings that ferocity, that energy, the aggression that we need, we feed off [that] as a team.' Meanwhile Scotland are in fifth, with just one win to their name after three games. They won their opening game against Wales but have fallen to back-to-back defeats against France and Italy in their next two games. Their head coach Bryan Easson is aware of just how big a challenge is facing his side today. 'England have the ability to go through you physically, they also have the ability to go round you,' said Easson. 'They can suffocate you defensively. They have such a good team, one to 15, or should I say one to 40. No matter what changes they make, they have world class players coming in. It is a huge task but one we are certainly up for. We were really disappointed with our performance against Italy so this is an opportunity to put that to bed and for this group to show the progress we have made.' England have won all 23 Six Nations meetings with Scotland, the past five encounters settled by an aggregate score of 266-22. Last year England won 48-0 in Edinburgh. It appears things are destined for a Grand Slam-decider against France at Allianz Stadium next weekend but England need to make sure they get the job done today to set that up.
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."
Telegraph
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Wales v England ‘TikTok moment' revealed the desperation to create viral events
Saturday afternoon is a prized TV slot, prime time. It does not compete (at least not legally) with football, and preserved by the 3pm blackout it offers a rare chance in a jam-packed schedule to highlight other sports. If you had turned on your televisions to BBC Two on Saturday afternoon in the aftermath of England Women's Six Nations win over Wales, instead of analysis or match highlights you would have been confronted by the latest bid to cultivate a 'viral moment' by production company Whisper. One player from each side, still in match kit, was joined by the BBC pundits to take part in a 'Chicken, Banana' dance for social media platform TikTok. It was not a spur-of-the-moment decision to have a bit of fun and as Sarah Bern arrived with phone in hand, it was clear this had been pre-planned. @sarahbern3 What you've all been waiting for @Jasmine Joyce @Siwan @BBC #chickenbanana #trend #tredning #fyp #justforfun ♬ originalljud - CrazyMusicChannel Many of the best viral moments are those which are not best thought up in production rooms, like Bern's dance with fans the previous week appeared. But an increasing desire to raise profiles of sports or occasions outside of the big beast that is football for ever-shortening attention spans has led to a more cultivated form of social media. No longer is a small child biting the finger of another enough; instead it has to be bigger and better, and of course happen in front of a larger audience. The audience in question were the remnants of the more than 21,000 who set a record at the Principality Stadium as England beat Wales 67-12, and those watching on the BBC. The outcome of the game was expected. When England had a four-try bonus point secured after just 27 minutes, and finished with a scoreline eerily similar to the one managed by Steve Borthwick's side just a fortnight beforehand, few in the stadium would have been surprised at the result, even if disappointed by the margin. Instead of looking at the gulf between the sides, or what it means for either Welsh or English women's rugby, social media was given the prime-time slot. There will not be an England men's Six Nations match on the BBC for five years under the new deal handing over rights for the national side to ITV, yet in its absence is … apparently … dancing? The clip, viewed almost two million times on X as of Sunday afternoon, has also gained more than 100,000 views on Bern's own TikTok account, and nearly 60,000 on the official BBC Sport account. @bbc That connection with the fans 🙌 Sarah Bern shared a great moment with the England fans after their Women's Six Nations win over Italy! @bbcsport #EnglandRugby #RedRoses #W6N #Rugby ♬ original sound - BBC Many of those who commented on social media criticised the involvement of Jasmine Joyce-Butchers in the aftermath of her side's heavy defeat. Some even drew parallels to the ill-judged decision by Finn Russell to exchange his shirt with Bath club-mate Ollie Lawrence after the narrow defeat by England in last month's Calcutta Cup Bern and Joyce-Butchers are club team-mates of Ilona Mayer, the most-followed rugby player on social media, who has tried to encourage others in the game to cultivate their social media platforms. The blame for the awkward dancing should not be directed at those who are trying to raise their profiles and market themselves on social media in a bid to boost their own incomes, which pale in comparison to other sports. Dancing is not new. Few could avoid the storm in lockdown when celebrities across the board were taking part in TikTok and Instagram challenges, but even then it was not commonplace on live TV. It has already started to emerge on television though. Aryna Sabalenka was asked to dance on court moments after winning a match at the Australian Open, after showcasing her and her team's creative efforts on social media. @tntsports Aryna Sabalenka knows how to celebrate her winning return in Melbourne 👯♀️ #tennis #ausopen #wta #sabalenka ♬ original sound - TNT Sports The overall effect was to create a 'moment'. One which features highly on the BBC's rugby union page, and has clearly resonated on social media. But for those who did not tune in to the BBC, they are far more likely to come across the 'chicken-banana' than they are actual match highlights or insight, which feels like a missed opportunity. But such is the power of the algorithm, and apparently the future of media.
