It is brutal yet beautiful. Powerful yet skilful. Relentlessly fast, tactically fascinating and packed with moments of individual brilliance. These athletes take extraordinary punishment, get back to their feet and get on with the job. No Oscar-winning auditions required!

I wanted to start today by sending sincere congratulations to Aaron Bower on an important and deeply moving article in The Guardian, highlighting Junior Nsemba’s experience of racist abuse and his determination to turn that unacceptable behaviour into a positive force for change. The Wigan Warriors forward’s account is a sobering reminder that racism reaches far beyond the individual targeted, affecting families and loved ones who should be able to celebrate their achievement