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.

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.

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.

Up to 4.4 million of Britain’s workforce of 31million might skip work in the autumn to watch the Rugby World Cup, according to jobs website CV-Library.

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.

SARAH VINE: My initial reaction was no - are you mad? Why would I want to have my face yanked around by the surgical equivalent of barbed wire?

SARAH VINE: We Brexiteers, especially those of us who inhabit urban areas, are used to life in social Siberia. So I think I'll be pretty well equipped to handle it.

SARAH VINE: This is not a generation of doddery, grey-haired retirees, content to potter away their pensions in the back garden: These are people living life to the full. In many cases, their best life.

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: Prime Minister or pauper, there can be no difference in value between humans. When Boris Johnson was admitted to a London hospital on Monday the situation changed.

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...

Fijian cross-code winger Ratu Naulago left his homeland to join the British military as a teenager before earning a one-year contract at Hull after a successful trial back in February.

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.

Blake Austin gave Warrington a major injury scare just three weeks before the Challenge Cup final as an ugly encounter saw clashes between rivals fans.

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.

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.

Brian McDermott could not hide his delight after Toronto completed their fairytale rise by winning promotion to Super League.

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.

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.

Super League clubs are threatening legal action against Catalan Dragons if there is a significant financial loss at their clubs following the signing of Isreal Folau. 

Super League clubs are set to confront Catalans Dragons officials at a board meeting this morning amid talk of a revolt over the French club's controversial signing of Israel Folau.

The disgraced cross-code star has already proved the most contentious signing in the competition's 25-year history after joining the Dragons on a one-year deal.

Israel Folau moved a step closer to making his Super League debut after being named in Catalans Dragons' 21-man squad for Saturday's match against Castleford in Perpignan.

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.

Leeds Rhinos coach Richard Agar watched his side hammer Super League new boys Toronto Wolfpack 66-12 to keep them rooted to the foot of the table but tipped them to avoid relegation.

Leeds Rhinos could face punishment from the Rugby Football League after taking a decision not to travel to their Super League fixture with Catalans Dragons in Spain.

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.

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.

The 41-year-old Pacquiao says that he will start training next month for his first fight since last July, when he defeated Keith Thurman for the WBA title in Las Vegas.

The 41-year-old revealed he is 'not afraid to die' during his efforts to help citizens cope with the ongoing pandemic, but fears that looting will increase in his homeland as the crisis worsens.

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.

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

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

The actor made new allegations against Heard public as part of a libel lawsuit, claiming she 'put a cigarette out' on his cheek in Australia in 2015. A photo emerged of him with an apparent burn mark.

The Hollywood Vampires finished album number two in none other than band member Johnny Depp's own studio. Aerosmith's Joe Perry, who does lead and rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals for

Amber Heard looked carefree and relaxed as she caught a plain at LAX airport near Los Angeles. The Aquaman actress cut a stylish figure in a minimalist black dress and boots.

The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, 20, made sure she turned heads at the event in a stunning pink Chanel strapless corset top and matching mini skirt.

The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, 20, looked breathtaking in the flowing sleeveless dress which hugged her petite frame.

SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: Model and actress Lily-Rose, 20, turned heads this week wearing a pink strapless Chanel dress and matching scarf at the Venice Film Festival.

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.