Wales’ Jasmine Joyce-Butchers defends TikTok dance after heavy defeat to England

Wales international Jasmine Joyce-Butchers has defended taking part in a post-match TikTok dance following a 67-12 home defeat against England.

Olympian Joyce-Butchers performed a routine alongside England prop Sarah Bern and television pundits following an interview at the Principality Stadium clash.

But Joyce-Butchers’ participation drew social media criticism from some quarters after Wales’ landslide Guinness Women’s Six Nations loss.

It was England’s 10th successive win against Wales and the Red Roses’ 31st Six Nations victory in a row.

They scored 11 tries, including a hat-trick during eight second half minutes for full-back and world player of the year Ellie Kildunne.

The game was watched by a crowd of more than 21,000, a record for a standalone Welsh women’s sporting event on home soil.

Watch a clip of the TikTok dance

Writing on Instagram, Joyce-Butchers said: “If we don’t love what we do, then why do it?

“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.”

Speaking to the BBC’s Scrum V podcast, former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap, who also took part in the dance, said: “We’ve got to let people be themselves and be the personalities they are.

“I feel for Jaz. I think some of the abuse that she is getting is not very nice and not really called for.

“She doesn’t need to sit in a dark room. We are seeing a personality, she is obviously friends with Sarah Bern, they play in Bristol together.”