'Show your personality' - Bern defends TikTok dance

Guinness Women's Six Nations: Ireland v England

Venue: Virgin Media Park, Cork Date: Saturday, 12 April Kick-off: 16:45 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, iPlayer and online, listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, live text and video highlights on BBC Sport website and app.

England prop Sarah Bern says she would not hesitate if asked to perform another TikTok dance live on air - because it is "fun" and shows "personality".

Following the Red Roses' 11-try hammering of Wales at Principality Stadium in round two of the Women's Six Nations, Bern and Wales full-back Jasmine Joyce-Butchers joined BBC Sport pundits live on air and performed a TikTok dance that went viral.

Backlash on social media soon followed for Joyce-Butchers, who later defended her participation, because her side had just suffered a 55-point defeat in front of a record crowd of 21,186 for a Wales women's team event on home soil.

Bern, 27, confirmed BBC producers had approached her prior to the game about doing the dance, with the Bristol Bears prop grabbing her club team-mate right before going on TV.

Both players were inspired to express themselves online by TikTok rugby sensation Ilona Maher, who has over eight million followers on social media and played with the pair during her recent short stint at Bristol.

"I said how cool it would be to celebrate Wales getting a record crowd and new coach and this being an amazing event," Bern told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"Jaz loved the idea. At club we are silly and funny. That is where we are at Bristol after Ilona brought a real nice light to social media and filled us with confidence to show your personality and enjoy it.

"I want women – for me anyway as it is not something I had – to be really strong female role models.

"Let's roll with the punches. That is what I would love to be and something I am navigating in myself. It is something I would love people to look up to and say 'she gave it her best shot, had fun, what a way of living life'."

'Maher has got a bigger job to do'

Ilona Maher was praised for her engagement with fans during her time at Bristol Bears

Bern confirmed 28-year-old American star Maher had been in touch after the divisive dance to say "haters are gonna hate" and was full of support for the pair.

Bristol prop Bern had done something similar with England fans after the win against Italy in York which also went viral.

She has no regrets over her recent TikTok efforts, remaining professional in her preparation for games and eager to grow the women's game before a home Rugby World Cup in August.

"It is a new landscape and we are moulding it for ourselves," Bern said.

"We can decide as female rugby players what this space looks like. It doesn't have to look a certain way, and if you don't like what I do then you don't have to watch it or comment. You can scroll past.

"There are a lot of people out there who do enjoy it and there were a lot of positive comments. For every negative one there are three or four nice comments."

Maher can play at centre or on the wing and won a bronze medal in sevens for the United States at the Paris Olympics last summer.

She scored four tries in seven games during a three-month spell at the Bears and has recently been included in USA's XVs player pool for this year, while continuing her successful social media career.

The World Cup marks the first time Maher could feature in competition for the United States in XVs since 2021, as she aims to be involved in the opening game against England at Sunderland's Stadium of Light in August.

"Ilona is so humble and works incredibly hard. Everything you see on social media is her and she is a brilliant icon for not only our sport but women in general," Bern added.

"If I can be a tiny bit like her then that would be amazing.

"She is doing so much for our sport. She needs to be out there pushing rugby into other people's faces.

"She is destined for bigger and better things. I would love her to come back to Bristol and play in our Prem, but I think she has got a bigger job to do."