Haskell 'not dead', responds to social media rumours

England flanker James Haskell has reassured fans he's alive after rumours surfaced on the internet he'd died of a steroid overdose.

Other claims to have emerged claimed Haskell had been selling drugs and had quit the sport, but the Wasps back-rower posted a video on YouTube in which he described the fake stories as "clickbait".

"You may have seen there are quite a lot of fake news stories operating on Facebook, that I have died of a steroid overdose, which is not true, that I have died of a drug overdose, which is not true, and that my career is over because I have been trying to sell drugs," he said.

"Another rumour is circulating that I had to quit rugby and left everyone in my family and moved away.

"Just to make it clear, this is absolute rubbish. It is all clickbait. Rest assured, I'm not dead and not disgraced and for those of you who are sceptical, we get drugs-tested all the time."

Haskell is recovering from a foot injury that required surgery after England's triumphant tour of Australia in June, but is expected to return for Wasps later in December.

The 31-year-old has seen his international career rejuvenated by the arrival of Eddie Jones, producing the best rugby of his 70 caps to establish himself as first-choice openside flanker.