NIK SIMON'S GAIN LINE: Sale Sharks are waiting in the wings if England star Jonny May does not sign a new contract with Leicester Tigers. The former Gloucester winger has reached a stand-off.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The decision to bring the curtain down on Premiership rugby for five weeks and postponing European competitions only delays an inevitable shutdown.

NIK SIMON: Millions will be lost through matchday takings and broadcast rights if the league goes into long-term lock down. The epidemic could force some club finances to the brink of collapse.

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: The coronavirus shutdown has forced rugby into an emergency spell of introspection and exposed the need for change. Here is this column's vision for the sport's future…

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY WILL KELLEHER: Life in the lockdown is exacting enough for everyone - but not many have as many balls to juggle as Gareth Steenson.

The RFU will determine the final places of the Championship - the second tier of domestic competition - with a 'best playing record formula' after ending the season early due to coronavirus.

Eddie Jones is stuck in Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak where England still intend to tour in July - although it is increasingly likely the trip will be called off this month.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY NIK SIMON: Last month, Guy Thompson had just finished his morning session in Oadby when his world was turned on its head.

In a Bristol team which contains Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua and will soon add Kyle Sinckler and Semi Radradra, it takes a lot to be described as one of the Bears' 'signings of the season.'

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.

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

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER AND NIK SIMON: The Premiership' s £7million salary cap could be reduced to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.

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.

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: Sir Bill Beaumont says he 'still alive and kicking' as he revealed his manifesto to be re-elected as World Rugby chairman after Sir Clive Woodward backed Agustin Pichot.

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: Sir Bill Beaumont's attempt to win re-election as World Rugby chairman has been thrown into further chaos after the governing body received a damning letter.

Sir Bill Beaumont's campaign to be re-elected as World Rugby chairman was on a knife-edge on Tuesday night, after one of his leading supporters was dramatically ousted by the Fijian Rugby Union.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I wonder if all those voting for the chairmanship of World Rugby on Sunday realise the great gift and opportunity they have - or what a pivotal moment for the game this is.

Premiership Rugby is facing a huge drop in the value of its broadcasting rights because it failed to agree a new deal with either BT Sport or Sky before the coronavirus crisis.

England stars could lose up to THREE stone in muscle during the coronavirus lockdown and it could take them a month to get back to a safe level to play, claims a top physio. 

There is increasing optimism that action could resume in the United Kingdom and across Europe in the coming weeks as lockdown restrictions are cautiously relaxed.

Genge insists his proposed organisation would complement rather than rival the Rugby Players' Association, which represents more than 1200 past and present players

England fly-half Katy Daley-Mclean believes the introduction of Sale Sharks to the Tyrrell's Premier 15s can help elevate the women's game to the next level.

After Mike Brown and Joe Marchant told the Mail on Sunday last week that the game was boring, and in need of serious surgery we canvassed opinion from top figures in the game.

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: The Nations League concept is back on the table as a means of galvanising international rugby, but if it is going to make a difference, it can't be half-hearted.

Princess Beatrice, 31, donned a black dress which featured flower pattern detail as she arrived at Centrepoint's 50th Anniversary Gala at the Roundhouse in Camden yesterday.

Rita Ora took a break from her hectic filming schedule for a raucous 29th birthday bash in Vegas, at the On The Record Speakeasy and Club in Park MGM.

The Hot Right Now hitmaker, 28, pulled out all the stops for her 29th birthday as she tapped into full relaxation mode at five-star hotel Amangiri - a remote hideaway in Canyon Point on Saturday.

Rita Ora made her second outfit change of the night as she headed to Giorgio Armani's British Fashion Awards afterparty on Monday.

Rita Ora, 29, and Rafferty Law, 23, are said to be 'loved-up' after falling for each other on set of Sky Cinema's Oliver! remake Twist.

Matt Smith failed to raise a smile as he partied with Rita Ora at Vas J Morgan's birthday bash in London on Tuesday.

The TOWIE star, 37, appeared in the mood to party as she greeted her fellow TOWIE star Vas outside the club ahead of the birthday celebrations.

Rita Ora, 29, and her new boyfriend Rafferty Law, 23, were back on set together on Wednesday afternoon, filming for the Oliver! remake in London alongside their stunt doubles.

Rita Ora looked incredible as she took to the stage at Capital's Jingle Bell Ball at London's 02 Arena on Saturday.

The new couple got into character while filming scenes on the set of Twist, a contemporary adaptation of Oliver Dickens' celebrated novel Oliver Twist.

Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall attended a press call for their new show The Masked Singer on Thursday, for which they sit on the panel with Rita Ora.

The mother-of-three took to Instagram on Tuesday to post a snap of herself from her recent family getaway in the Caribbean.

The Hot Right Now hitmaker, 29, wowed in a sizzling green gown with an eye-popping corset-inspired top while the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, 22

The singer, 29, enjoyed a brief break from her busy schedule as she headed out for dinner at Craig's in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening.

Rita Ora's fortune has doubled in just 12 months to £10.2million. The Girls hitmaker, 29, earned £5.3million during 2019.

The Milkshake star, 40, was unmasked as the character of Daisy on Saturday's episode of the ITV series after she lost out to Monster in the bottom two.

Rita Ora has admitted that fans only see the 'workaholic and thick-skinned' side of her as she stuns for a new photoshoot for LOVE Magazine.

The singer, 29, showed off her latest ink in an Instagram post on Friday, after she got a tattoo in honour of her mother Vera.

Singer Rita Ora's mother Vera has shared an adorable throwback photo of the pair from a fair few years ago.

The singer took inspiration from Victoria Beckham, 45, for her latest post on Tuesday as she clambered into a Celine shopping bag.

The Hot Right Now singer, 29, took to her Instagram stories on Sunday to document her time larking about with friends, as she insisted she 'can't be sexy it's a joke'

Bedding collaborations have become the latest unlikely show of celebrity star power, British branding experts revealed, replacing commercial opportunities like eponymous fragrances.

Rita Ora, 29, and Rafferty Law, 23, has reportedly drifted apart after just three months of dating.

Rita, 29, and Rafferty, 23, were reported to have split after just three months of dating following their whirlwind romance on the set of upcoming film Twist.

Ben Cullen, 29, who lives in Chester, told Femail that he became captivated with the idea of making elaborate cake models in 2015, but had never even baked before. He now wins awards for his creations.

She was seen storming the runways of the French capital as she walked for Miu Miu during the recently-concluded Paris Fashion Week.