Sonja drama

[Dickie E]

I have such mixed thoughts on this.

1. Interviewer (gender irrelevant) clearly attempts to bait Farrell
2. Interviewer cops social media abuse for doing so
3. Interviewer sits in car crying because of the abuse
4. RFU apologises for the abuse

Something about "heat" and "kitchens" comes to mind.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...rell-interview

[Marc Wakeham]

She's is a terrible "hack" But she is doing her boss' bidding so the BBC (in this case) has to shoulder some of the blame.

That said she does not deserve the trolling. Perhaps more importantly al lot of the trolling was directed at a different Sonia M.

[Dickie E]

I think that if I was sitting in my car crying I wouldn't share that with the world unless I wanted to use my vulnerability as a weapon.

I don't think you can have it both ways. Be a 'hard arse' when it suits and and 'woe is me' when it doesn't.

[Zebra1922]

I didn’t particularly like the tone of the questioning - no problem with the topics as they were always going to be the talking points post match but they question style was designed to try and get Farrell and Jones to say something controversial.

However, there is no excuse for the trolling and it is a poor reflection on society as a whole that people this it is OK to attack others in this way.

Any thoughts of not having it both ways are a disgrace - it is saying the trolling behaviour is acceptable due to her questioning. Let’s be absolutely clear, the trolling behaviour is completely unacceptable no matter what she did or how she did it. Anyone who thinks otherwise, a version of ‘she was asking for it’ needs to take a long hard look at themselves.

[Dickie E]

Any thoughts of not having it both ways are a disgrace - it is saying the trolling behaviour is acceptable due to her questioning. Let’s be absolutely clear, the trolling behaviour is completely unacceptable no matter what she did or how she did it. Anyone who thinks otherwise, a version of ‘she was asking for it’ needs to take a long hard look at themselves.

Yes, trolling is deplorable (although understandable when you feel that is the only to make your point heard).

My point is that no doubt Jonathan Davies, Brian Moore, etc get trolled all the time. What is it that stops them from tweeting that they sat in their car crying and what is it that stops BBC & RFU issuing a public apology on behalf of society to them?

It is the definition of sexism to treat the 2 genders in different ways.

[crossref]

She asked the same questions of every interviewee, Welsh and English . And those were the talking points of the match
The other talking point was that we got to 24 24 with all the momentum with England yet lost
Ad the number of pks given away by England
Again asked to all interviewees

Was it actually Farrell and Jones who were the snowflakes, feeling that the questions were somehow unfair or undeserved?

[didds]

My take - not a million pence from 2 from the rest of you all.

1) the internet abuse is thoroughly unacceptable
2) the questioning was intended to elicit a controversial answer, not a better understanding of the game.
3) She WAS baiting - by all means ask the question once - but having receved a straight bat/refusal to engage, just re asking the same question is baiting.
4) Asking AWJ if he should have asked the ref to reject/overturn the first try/ Really?
5) This wasn't journalism - this is red top rubbish. If that truly will be the level of post match interviews what's the point? What's next - asking a player about their sick family members and how it affected their performance etc ?
6) There may be a team of people responsible for the questions. She is repsonsible for her personal integrity. "I was only following orders" is not an excuse.

To reiterate - the online abuse is throughly unacceptable. The rest of it is a storm in a teacup.

Can we talk about rugby now?

[Rich_NL]

I agree with Didds. It wasn't probing, insightful journalism, it was prodding for a sensational soundbite. But she's surely guided/encouraged in that direction by her employers (or was selected for that), so the fault is not entirely hers. And of course, online abuse is utterly unacceptable.

[DocY]

It's counterproductive, too.

IMO she didn't do very well with the interviews (and FWIW I thought Farrell actually handled it pretty well) but now there is zero focus on the interview and whether there were any problems with that and entirely onto the trolling.

[Dickie E]

Was it actually Farrell and Jones who were the snowflakes, feeling that the questions were somehow unfair or undeserved?

I think that is not reasonable. I only saw the Farrell piece but the interviewer would know full well that Farrell would have got a big smack from WR or RFU if he'd answered those questions honestly.

But it wasn't the questions per se that intrigued me - lots of interviewers will try to bait an interviewee.

It was the turning on the waterworks with "I cried in my car" reaction to being called out (albeit with venom).

And the RFU responding to the tears with the "there, there, it's not you, it's them".