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?

RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie believes the sport is in a better place to capitalise on a Rugby World Cup boom than it was in 2003 when Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal created a surge in interest.

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.

SARAH VINE: When I saw the picture posted online by Sky News sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao of her son's bedroom, I couldn't resist a wry smile.

SARAH VINE: Fiona Bruce is almost unique among her generation of high-profile female presenters in that she has never - so she says - succumbed to the temptation of Botox.

SARAH VINE: Elderly people who live on their own have nowhere to go for human contact. And it seems, for some, isolation is far more gruesome than the prospect of catching the virus itself.

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: Sunday was a very sad day for us. The mother of a dear friend passed away in hospital from Covid-19.

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.

St Helens have begun the search for a new head coach following confirmation that Justin Holbrook will join Gold Coast Titans at the end of the season.

INTERVIEW BY MIKE KEEGAN: With his chiselled jaw, bulging biceps and St Helens polo shirt, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook looks every inch the rugby league player.

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.

Toronto Wolfpack are closing in on the signing of the dual-code international, who played his last match for the All Blacks in the World Cup bronze medal win over Wales in Tokyo last Friday.

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.

Great Britain's underwhelming tour of the southern hemisphere came to a humiliating end when they were condemned to a 28-10 defeat by Papua New Guinea.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUIGHES: Sportsmail has learned that pursuing the sale, brought to the table by chief executive Robert Elstone, was approved at a board meeting last week.

History will be made this Sunday when the Toronto Wolfpack become the first ever North American club to play in the top flight of a British sports league. We have everything you need to know about them.

Sonny Bill Williams insists the magic will come after making a low-key return to rugby league in Toronto Wolfpack's 28-10 defeat by Castleford in their opening Super League match.

Clubs on Wednesday voted to give themselves ‘greater authority’ to stop similar contentious moves following outrage at the French side’s move for the former Wallaby. 

IAN HERBERT AT STADE GILBERT BRUTUS, PERPIGNAN: In the back corridors of this place, they were insisting last night that the storm around him will quickly subside.

IAN HERBERT: It doesn't take a leap of imagination to see why Israel Folau felt he would find sanctuary at Perpignan, in the lee of the Pyrenees. His compatriot and team-mate James Maloney observed that.

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.

Super League clubs have been warned they must make a seismic U-turn and reunite with the Rugby Football League if they are to survive the coronavirus crisis.

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

The 12 Super League clubs broke away from the RFL midway through 2018 in a bid to increase revenues with the current television deal with Sky up for renewal next year.

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.

Manny Pacquiao has insisted that no deal has been reached for a super-fight against Amir Khan on November 8. The British fighter had previously claimed they would fight in Saudi Arabia.

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.

Manny Pacquiao knocked down Keith Thurman in the first round and persevered for an exciting split-decision victory on Saturday night, adding a third straight win to his career resurgence.

Khan, who stopped Billy Dib inside four rounds earlier this month, had announced that an agreement was in place for him to fight Pacquiao next in Saudi Arabia this winter.

Danny Garcia's impressive win over Ivan Redkach was marred by a bizarre incident in which the Ukrainian bit the former world champion deep into the fight in New York on Saturday night.

Pacquiao, largely considered as one of the greatest boxers of all time, said he already quarantined himself and has used an unapproved rapid testing kit from South Korea.

Heard, 33, met New York model Milos Drago, 25, through mutual friends seven weeks ago at a restaurant in New York, a source told The Mail on Sunday.

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

The civil case has been scheduled for February 3 2020 by a Virginia judge.

James Franco was subpoenaed by Johnny Depp's legal team after he was caught snuggling with Amber Heard on surveillance video taken inside an elevator at her LA apartment building.

Lily Rose Depp, 20, took a well-deserved break when she snapped photographs during her holiday, in Bucharest, Romania on Tuesday.

The French-American actress, 20, took a short break from filming sci-fi thriller Voyagers as she shared a sweet hug with co-star Colin, 43, in Bucharest, Romania, on Wednesday afternoon.

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

Nicolas Cage told the New York Times Magazine that he's responsible for getting Johnny Depp to focus on acting over music by talking him into doing the audition that made him a star.

She's Johnny Depp's ex-wife and appears to be ready to move past the drama. Amber Heard stepped out for dinner with a friend on Sunday evening looking effortless as they headed inside.

She is currently being sued for defamation by her ex-husband Johnny Depp as the Pirates of the Caribbean actor claimed she negatively impacted his career.

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.

On Thursday, Johnny Depp was well-dressed in a crisp burnt sienna suit as he attended the Honoring Dinner for his new film Waiting For The Barbarians at the 76th Venice Film Festival.

Johnny Depp looked every inch the A-lister as he arrived at the Venice Film Festival ahead of the premiere of Waiting For The Barbarians on Friday.

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.

She's in the midst of a bitter court spat with her ex, actor Johnny Depp, that took a dramatic turn on Saturday. But Amber Heard appeared unbothered as she did some weekend shopping.

Johnny Depp's star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame was defaced with profanity on Thursday by a vandal who wrote : 'phoney a** b****.'