Sonja McLaughlan on abuse received following Wales' Six Nations victory over England on Saturday: "Toxic, embarrassing, disgraceful, appalling. Just some of the feedback I've had"; England rugby team respond: "Abuse for doing your job is not OK and we stand with you"
Sunday 28 February 2021 16:08, UK
The England rugby team have publicly defended BBC reporter Sonja McLaughlan after the pitchside interviewer received online abuse following their Six Nations match with Wales on Saturday.
McLaughlan interviewed England captain Owen Farrell, coach Eddie Jones, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and Wales head coach Wayne Pivac after the home side's controversial 40-24 win over England in Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
McLaughlan says she had been"inundated with abuse" on social media after the game.
After the match, McLaughlan wrote on Twitter: "Toxic, embarrassing, disgraceful, appalling. Just some of the feedback I've had.
"Thanks for using @ sign so it's all hit home … Now imagine getting inundated with abuse for doing your job. In my car crying. Hope you're happy."
In a reply to the post, England Rugby said: "Sonja, we are really sorry to hear this and hope you are OK. Abuse for doing your job is not OK and we stand with you.
"We will see you for the next one. Hold your head high and know you have our support."
The England rugby team's official account replied to her tweet, saying: "Sonja, we are really sorry to hear this and hope you are ok. Abuse for doing your job is not OK and we stand with you.
"We will see you for the next one. Hold your head high and know you have our support.
"Rugby's core values are teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship. Whether we are fans, players, coaches, referees, volunteers or in the media we are all part of the rugby community. We should all aim to hold ourselves to these values of our great game."
A post from the official Six Nations account also read: "Sonja, we join with the rest of the rugby community to say that this is not OK. Respect is a value of rugby we hold in the highest regard.
"Abuse of public figures or members of the media on social media or anywhere else is not acceptable."
Earlier this year, Facebook-owned Instagram announced new measures, including the removal of accounts to prevent abusive messages on its platform and developing new controls to help reduce the abuse people see.
Twitter has also given users greater control over their conversations including allowing users to choose who can reply to conversations they start.
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