EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER AND CHRIS FOY: The contingency idea could become a reality later as an autumn without internationals would mean 'serious issues' for home unions' finances.

Eddie Jones has warned his England squad to expect major surgery at the next World Cup. Jones' side reached the final of the Rugby World Cup last summer where they lost to South Africa.

Eddie Jones's men were due to play two Tests against the 2019 World Cup hosts in July, but plans now appear in jeopardy after the latest announcement from the Japanese governement.

England face a packed autumn of Tests at home and abroad after RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney confirmed post-coronavirus plans. 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY NIK SIMON: World Rugby has found itself at a revolutionary crossroads after Agustin Pichot launched a late bid to challenge Bill Beaumont in the presidential elections.

EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS FOY: Vunipola is glad Jones will continue to provoke trepidation and inspiration among players because he believes the Australian can lead them to World Cup glory.

Steve Borthwick will become Leicester's new head coach on July 1, as current boss Geordan Murphy moves to become director of rugby. 

With sport a long way from being permitted, rugby is bracing itself for catastrophic losses and Six Nations countries are desperate for the November Test matches to go ahead.

The English league champions confirmed last night they had taken advantage of the government's furlough scheme - meaning all their players' wages are now part-funded by the state.

Sport in all corners of the world has ground to a halt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But some teams and players are returning to training and plans are being drawn up to get going again.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Picked as a Six Nations 'apprentice' in January, complete with the customary asterisk to mark his status, Alex Mitchell is Eddie Jones' latest England project.

Without the state-of-the-art medical equipment he is used to at Leicester Tigers and the England camp, Jonny May has installed a hyperbaric chamber at his home to help him bounce back from injury.

A player exodus from Britain to Japan is in prospect, after former England fly-half Freddie Burns announced a move to the Far East and other high-profile names are set to follow him.

The Premier League had already warned their 20 clubs last month that they were budgeting for a £1.1bn loss because of refunds to broadcasters, ticket-holders and commercial partners.

The British sportswear company will take over the manufacturing rights from Canterbury in September. As reported in October, Umbro outbid adidas to agree a partnership worth more than £5m a season. 

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: As agreed long before coronavirus shut down the sport, the idea next summer is that England will tour the USA and Canada while the Lions are in South Africa.

IAN LADYMAN: At the end of a depressing week for our game, denials were still being heard. Not just in Bulgaria but in England too.

IAN LADYMAN: Already we owe them, Brendan Rodgers and Frank Lampard. Even if they do not manage to keep it up we should thank them all the same.

IAN LADYMAN: Tottenham have designs on being a European super club and, as such, it is understandable they hired a man they consider to be a European super manager.

IAN LADYMAN: Arsene Wenger did leave behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexanadre Lacazette, two of the most gifted and exciting forward players in the Premier League.

IAN LADYMAN: If you were to ask Liverpool fans whether they would prefer to lift the Carabao Cup at Wembley or the Club World Cup in Doha on Saturday, many would plump for the former.

IAN LADYMAN: It would be nice to one day be known as the manager who finally figured how to get the best out of Mesut Ozil. Equally, it would be foolish for Mikel Arteta to waste time trying.

IAN LADYMAN: Do now have to consider that Rudiger may have been mistaken in what he thought he heard? We must have a look at how quickly the modern world rushed to judgment.

IAN LADYMAN: Manchester United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward must be the only man running a Premier League football club who gets stick for making them money.

Buried within all of Jurgen Klopp's rant about the Africa Cup of Nations moving back to a January slot was one very simple but important modern truth: Money comes first, everything else follows.

IAN LADYMAN: Chris Wilder has enjoyed his time in the Premier League but thinks it is nowhere near as exacting a division as he thought and has been surprised by the lack of quality in the top flight.

IAN LADYMAN: People at City have moved mountains to give Guardiola the environment he demanded at the Etihad. If he walks as soon as the wind changes, it would not say great things.

There has been an asterisk against much of Manchester City's recent achievement ever since UEFA opened their investigation against the English champions in 2018.

IAN LADYMAN: Lamenting this week of the passing of Harry Gregg, I found myself thinking about Sir Bobby Charlton and, in turn, the 1966 World Cup final.

IAN LADYMAN: Common sense gives Lampard at least one more season. Common sense says a young, bright manager is given opportunity to plan properly in a way that few of his predecessors were.

IAN LADYMAN: Atletico Madrid prevailed against Liverpool so Diego Simeone's defensive masterclass had proved his brilliance. Except it didn't, not really.

IAN LADYMAN: Football has a bigger heart and much greater intelligence than many may think and during this tricky time we are beginning to see it but the game needs to do more to publicise it.

IAN LADYMAN: Barely a month into football's current state of inertia and the head of FIFA has arrived with a basketful of meaningless platitudes to make us all feel better. 'Health must come better.'

IAN LADYMAN: As English football conjures ever more fanciful ways to conclude an interrupted season, this is the problem. Anyone can get coronavirus, that includes footballers.

Radamel Falcao has been reduced to tears by his Manchester United nightmare, according to his former agent. The 29-year-old has also expressed fear of an injury playing for the Under 21s.

SIMON JONES: Juventus have opened discussions with Monaco over a deal for Radamel Falcao. Manchester United will send the striker back to French league side at the end of the season.

Misfiring Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao was given a boost when he hugged a young supporter and posed for a selfie while on international duty with Colombia in Bahrain.

Liverpool will be offered the chance to sign Manchester United flop Radamel Falcao on loan this summer. The Colombian striker has disappointed since his loan to Old Trafford.

Radamel Falcao has admitted for the first time that he is likely to leave Manchester United at the end of the season with the club set to reject turning his loan move into a permanent deal.

Manchester United benchwarmer Radamel Falcao sent a message to Louis van Gaal with two clinical goals for Colombia in their friendly in Bahrain on Thursday night.

It's Hot or Not time again as Riath Al-Samarrai reveals what's been making him feel warm this week and what's been leaving him cold inside.

Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao remains determined to break back into Louis van Gaal's starting XI despite talk of a permanent move to Juventus this summer.

Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao equalised Colombia's international goals record with a 74th-minute penalty in his country's 3-1 away win over Kuwait in a friendly on Monday.

Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao still 'has faith' that he could stay with the Old Trafford club next season. Colombia international has managed just four goals in 19 games for Louis van Gaal’s side.

River Plate are keen to sign Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao but admit a deal is complicated. The forward spent eight years with the Argentine side before joining Porto in 2009.

The Colombian striker seemed to be coping better after the international break, enjoying an evening out in Alderley Edge on Thursday, before picking up his £100,000 Porsche Panamera.

Build up for Sunday’s Manchester derby has officially started with South American duo Radamel Falcao and Sergio Aguero featuring in a promo video for sponsors Puma.

Manchester United's Radamel Falcao believes Manchester City counterpart Sergio Aguero is his side's biggest threat ahead of Sunday's derby at Old Trafford.

Diego Maradona has likened Louis van Gaal to the devil over his treatment of misfiring Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao.

MATT LAWTON AT OLD TRAFFORD: A sixth successive league win that cements United in third place owes much to the revival of Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata.