IT is not just on the field that Mike Cooper is feeling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

When he is not punching holes through defensive lines for The Wire, the prop forward is helping manage his two clothing businesses 1895 Sports and Bubble Custom.

While all non-essential businesses are pulling down the shutters, Cooper explains that Bubble in particular will be right on the front line of the fight against Covid-19.

In line with government guidelines, everything is being done remotely and when staff members showed symptoms of the virus, everything was done by the book.

“It’s obviously tough times for every business, but the ones that can get through this will be the ones that really prosper,” he said.

“We’re working remotely on everything.

“Fortunately, some of the factories we work with – more with 1895 – are outside the UK so they can keep running.

“There’s still a lot of infrastructure for Bubble to support. Construction is still going ahead and we’re doing a lot of work with healthcare and care homes that still need support.

“We’ve had a couple of staff members who have shown symptoms of coronavirus but are coming through the other side of that.

“Once they’re through that, we’ll pick things back up as best we can.

“We’re supporting essential work like care homes so we’ll keep doing everything we can while taking all the right precautions.”