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Tonight's rugby news as Wales star issues statement after abuse over TikTok dance
@Source: walesonline.co.uk
Here are your rugby evening headlines for Monday, March 31.
Joyce-Butchers defends TikTok dance
Wales international Jasmine Joyce-Butchers has defended her involvement in a post-match TikTok dance after Wales' heavy Six Nations defeat by England.
Wales had conceded 11 tries in the 67-12 defeat to the Red Roses at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. However, full-back Joyce-Butchers joined England prop Sarah Bern on the BBC's coverage for a post-match interview - during which they also recorded a dance routine on the popular app.
Bern had done something similar with England fans after last weekend's win against Italy in York which went viral. However, the fact that Joyce-Butchers took part after a 55-point defeat drew criticism from some on social media - prompting the Olympian to defend herself.
"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."
Former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap, who was involved in the dance as one of the BBC's pundits, said she did not have a problem with it.
"We've got to let people be themselves and be the personalities they are," she told the BBC's 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."
Former Wales captain Rachel Taylor said the dance was a "difficult one" to assess. She told BBC Radio Wales: "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.
"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."
Warburton: You can't escape Lions hype
Former Wales captain Sam Warburton has stressed that players won't be able to escape the hype ahead of the British and Irish Lions' squad announcement next month.
Andy Farrell, having named his coaching staff last week, will reveal his squad selection on May 8.
And Warburton, who skippered the Lions in 2013 and 2017, says that players from all four home nations will spend the next month thinking about making the tour to Australia.
"When players tell you they don't think about a Lions tour, I'm telling you, they're thinking about it," he told TNT Sports.
"Of course, your team comes first, it always does. I'll be honest, the Six Nations I was involved in before Lions tours, you don't talk about it to the other players, but you think about it a lot.
"You know full well the way you play in the Six Nations is going to have a huge bearing [on your selection], because the coaches want to see how you perform in the highest-profile games with the pressure on.
"People like Maro Itoje, Jac Morgan and Finn Russell are going to be asking each other: ‘Are you the Lions captain?’ They’ll respond: ‘I don’t know, are you?’
"You just can't escape it as a player. They've got all that coming, which is great."
Welsh youngster reflects on breakthrough season
Wales U20s international Tom Bowen has reflected on a breakthrough year after re-joining Cardiff this season.
The former Cardiff pathway product returned to the Arms Park from Bristol after completing his studies at Clifton College.
Matt Sherratt has been patient with using the 19-year-old - who can play either wing or full-back - but he has looked the part when called upon.
He crossed for a score on his debut in the Challenge Cup against the Cheetahs back in December, before grabbing two tries against the Sharks the following month.
Bowen then followed it up with a strong Six Nations campaign for the U20s, scoring against Italy as he started four of the five matches.
"Surreal," is how Bowen described his breakthrough season on the club's social media channels. "I didn't really expect it or know when it would come.
"To do it at the Arms Park in Europe where we've got a lot of history and score a try to top it off was really good. To play alongside Josh Adams and Cam Winnett in that back-three, with Toby Faletau up front, there'd be something wrong if I couldn't score!
"You still get that buzz every time you pull that Cardiff jersey on. It's your home club at the end of the day. You always get that buzz.
"I just enjoy the moment. I just go with it. You don't know when you're going to get that opportunity again. It's just taking it all in.
"Having Jockey there and training against the boys that are playing on the weekend, that does rub off on you. You've got to be like a sponge almost absorbing everything in. Every week you're learning. You become a better player for it."
Wallabies star facing Lions blow
Seven-cap Australia international Max Jorgensen will undergo surgery on an ankle injury that could dent his chances of facing the Lions this summer.
The Waratahs full-back is unlikely to feature in the remainder of this year's Super Rugby Pacific season, after picking up the injury in the 57-12 defeat to the Hurricanes in Wellington last Friday.
Jorgensen was taken off early on after getting his ankle trapped under Brayden Iose as the Hurricanes back-row made a tackle.
Should he miss out on the rest of the Super Rugby campaign, he could face an uphill challenge to be fit for the Wallabies this summer - with their series against the Lions starting in Brisbane on July 19.
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