McClaren's rugby appeal

Steve McClaren believes his players can help make Saturday 13 October a momentous day for English sport by learning from the nation’s rugby heroes.

McClaren’s footballers face Estonia at Wembley at 3pm in what is a crucial Euro 2008 fixture – just five hours before the rugby boys take on France in a World Cup semi-final.

The Three Lions have already sent an official ‘good luck’ message to their sporting counterparts and McClaren has great admiration for the spirit of Brian Ashton’s rugby side who were criticised after losing 36-0 to South Africa but have fought back in sensational fashion.

McClaren said: “You have to commend the players, management and staff because I watched them three or four games ago and no-one gave England a chance of being in the position they are in.

“They have come through adversity. There comes a challenge and you either sink or swim. And it’s because of the character, attitude and commitment they have shown that they are in the semi-final and could possibly go to the final.

“I think we can all take lessons from that. That’s part of English culture, that’s part of the English game whether it be rugby, cricket or athletics. That’s what we have, too - that’s what we’ve developed. So we need to bottle it and keep it and take it into every game.”

McClaren watched in delight as England’s rugby players won the World Cup four years ago and it goes without saying that he dreams of leading Michael Owen and Co to similar glory one day.

He said: “I’m a lover of sport and a lover of England and that display really epitomised what can be achieved. That’s something everybody knows we are searching for.”

If England are to achieve such glory then the first step is to reach a major tournament finals – and that means beating Estonia today and then Russia next Wednesday in a rapidly changing Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

After 3-0 victories over Israel and Russia at Wembley last month the Three Lions go into the fixtures on a high but McClaren is wary of predictions.

“The biggest thing we need to guard against is complacency,” he insisted. “It's easy to think we're there.

"But we need to make sure that as a team we keep getting better, gel a lot more, play as a team a lot more and prove to everyone that this improvement is consistent.

"It's not just a one-off, or two games - we need to show we can do it over a long time.

"Yes, we've produced performances we like and the crowd are behind us - everybody is behind us. And the dark days are in the past. But you are always looking over your shoulder to guard against them coming back. So let's go out there and win."