SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I am a glass half-full person and 11 months out from the final stages of the World Cup there was a lot to like in that England performance.

CHRIS FOY: England are showing no sign of gaining ground on rugby’s leading nations after their 12th loss to South Africa in a row. Here are the pressing issues that need to be sorted out quick smart…

Sam Burgess will make his grand entrance into a whole new ball-game on Friday night, having realised in recent weeks that he faces a monumental task in crossing the rugby divide.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I cannot wait to see Sam Burgess play for Bath, I’m sure he has everything to succeed in union and all England rugby fans should be grateful to Bath for bringing him into the sport.

Nick Easter has urged England to create a 'destructive force' by pairing Steffon Armitage with captain Chris Robshaw for their assault on this year's World Cup.

England No 8 Ben Morgan is set to see a specialist next week in the latest phase of his recovery from a broken leg. He is now destined to miss England's entire RBS 6 Nations campaign.

CHRIS FOY: Never mind the World Cup connotations. For now, the bigger picture can remain out of focus, in the background. Friday night it is all about Wales versus England.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: As an England ‘fan’, I’m still buzzing about that win over Wales, while the coach in me is trying not to get too carried away. However, that the result was huge leap forward.

EXCLUSIVE: Once he had come round after emergency surgery, Ben Morgan asked the surgeon two pressing questions; would he ever play again and could he make it back in time for the World Cup?

England head coach Stuart Lancaster believes the 'fantastic potential' of Henry Slade will drive his challenge for a place in the 2015 rugby World Cup squad.

WORLD OF RUGBY: Brilliance is not enough in these days of forensic professionalism. In another era, Nick Abendanon would have lit up Test rugby, but he no longer fits the mould.

Ticket sales for the Rugby World Cup are close to hitting the 2million mark with 130 days remaining before England kick off against Fiji.. Sportsmail understands 1.9m out of 2.3m have been sold.

Former England star Jason Robinson believes that Stuart Lancaster should adhere to current selection policy for next week's World Cup training squad announcement.

Martin Johnson has waded into the debate about England’s refusal to pick players based overseas with an emphatic endorsement of the RFU policy which has divided opinion.

Dylan Hartley’s World Cup dream is over after the hooker was axed from Stuart Lancaster’s England squad and told he cannot be trusted to keep his cool in the high-stakes matches.

Sarah Vine: The death of Caroline Flack is truly a tragedy. A talented young woman who nevertheless felt so worthless and unloved, so scared and hopeless, she decided to take her own life.

SARAH VINE: Like all skilled abusers he knew how to exploit the ambiguity of the situation to his advantage. He set out deliberately to manipulate and confuse their emotions.

Against a background of economic meltdown and the life-and-death battle against this damned virus, the plight of Harry and Meghan pales into insignificance.

SARAH VINE: We may not be fully conscious of it yet, but lockdown is, in many respects, one giant, unprecedented social experiment. No one has any real idea how it will influence the economy...

SARAH VINE: First of all: how are you both? I know no one ever asks, so I thought it best just to check. After all, it must be so hard for you, stuck in Los Angeles in rented accommodation.

With each day that passes, we learn a little bit more about the nature of this ghastly virus. Statistics show that obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for Covid-19.

The Black and Whites were left without any substitutes to use during their clash with Hull KR and the back rower took matters into his own hands - quite literally.

England's James Graham has become the first active player to pledge his brain to science upon his death to aid research into concussion.

The RFL and Super League say they are 'appalled' after the game between Catalans Dragons and Warrington Wolves ended in brawls on the pitch and in the stands.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTSWRITER: In September 2017, former Leigh Centurions director Andy Mazey, announced that he would be Swinton's new chairman. From then, changes were afoot.

The league leaders, refreshed by a first weekend off of the year, produced arguably their best performance, running in seven tries to two on Friday night.

King, a security consultant and club director, whose lifelong love look to pull off a huge upset against St Helens at Old Trafford, agreed to secure his family home against the cash-strapped club.

St Helens won the Super League Grand final with a dominant 23-6 victory over Salford Red Devils at Old Trafford on Saturday. Tries from Mark Percival, Zeba Taia and Morgan Knowles sealed an impressive win.

MIKE KEEGAN AT OLD TRAFFORD: Salford Red Devils' incredible run to the Grand Final may have ended in defeat but it can inspire others and breathe life into Super League, believes Josh Jones.

South Sydney Rabbitohs said on Wednesday that their captain Sam Burgess has been forced to quit the sport due to a chronic left shoulder injury, ending one of rugby league's greatest careers.

Great Britain suffered a third straight defeat on their tour of New Zealand after they were beaten 23-8 in Christchurch. The series whitewash increases the pressure on Wayne Bennett.

Australia will play Italy, Fiji and Scotland in Group B while New Zealand face Lebanon, Jamaica and Ireland in Group C. Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Wales and Cook Islands make up Group D.

Wane left Wigan after guiding his hometown team to a third Grand Final at the end of the 2018 season and has spent the last year working as high performance coach for the Scottish Rugby Union.

Super League clubs have voted to tighten up the rules to prevent further controversial additions to the competition following the Catalans Dragons' signing of Israel Folau.

Rugby league clubs have been bizarrely prevented from defending their commitment to diversity, following instructions by Super League not to discuss the controversial signing of Israel Folau.

While fixtures in most professional sports in the UK have been postponed because of the crisis, rugby league is yet to follow suit. A meeting of Super League clubs is planned for Monday.

Tributes have been paid to Widnes legend and former Great Britain captain Frank Myler, who has died aged 81.

Sportsmail provide you with everything you need to know for Manny Pacquiao vs Keith Thruman including fight time, date, location and channel plus tickets, stats, odds and more.

Sportsmail provide you with everything you need to know for Manny Pacquiao vs Keith Thruman including fight time, date, location and channel plus tickets, stats, odds and more.

Khan, who has just come off a £7million payday after beating Billy Dib last week, revealed at a press conference at his gym that the blockbuster fight will take place in Saudi Arabia, according to talkSPORT.

Manny Pacquiao takes on the Keith Thurman tonight for US viewers whilst UK viewers will have to wait until very early morning on Sunday. Sportsmail provide you with all you need to know for the fight.

Jinkee Pacquiao, 40, is a socialite, politician and wife of record-breaking Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao. FEMAIL looks at their remarkable love story and the lavish life they lead today.

Johnny Depp arrived in Hollywood to perform with his band Hollywood Vampires on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday.

She wore the denims rolled up at the bottom to just above the top of her black and white ankle boots.

Johnny Depp, 56, and the Keith Richards, 75, gave fans a shock when they turned up to Indian-Bangladeshi restaurant, Le Raj in Epsom.

Lily-Rose Depp, 20, has revealed the details of her innocent and nerve-wracking first kiss. The extremely-private star remains tight-lipped about her rumored romance with Timothée Chalamet.

The Sweeney Todd actor, 56, once again showcased his kooky style as he arrived at the event in a midnight blue tuxedo jacket and blue lens shades.

The actor, 56, looked suave in a nautical blue and white T-shirt which he layered with a navy linen jacket and a pair of distressed blue jeans.

Johnny Depp looked every inch the A-lister as he attended the photocall for Waiting For The Barbarians at the Deauville American Film Festival on Sunday.

These Hollywood darlings have been linked since September of 2018, and now they're starring in a film together. Lily-Rose Depp and Timothee Chalamet appeared at the premiere for The King.