WELL, is today going to be a super Saturday or one for drowning our sorrows?

England's rugby stars aim to reach the World Cup final in Paris and their football counterparts continue their bid to reach the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland.

After their superb performance against Australia in the quarter-finals last week, England's oval ball stars will face France in Paris looking to hold on to the Webb Ellis Trophy they won so gloriously in Australia four years ago.

Before the tournament started nobody gave England a chance of retaining their crown but the team's form has been growing steadily throughout the competition.

The southern hemisphere teams were expected to dominate proceedings but Australia and New Zealand were sent home by Brian Ashton's men and France respec-tively.

The home nation will be favourites to triumph in the Stade de France though, especially after overcoming the mighty All Blacks last week.

One England player, who has been named in an unchanged side from last week's 12-10 victory in Marseille is Andy Gomarsall.

A year ago, the 33-year-old scrum-half was on the verge of giving up the game, having been released by his club Worcester and was playing for a pub's team. He then signed a short-term contract with Harlequins and started his resurgence. A quite, remarkable story.

Let's hope the fairytale story can have a happy ending and England are celebrating tonight.

Meanwhile, England's footballers face Estonia at Wembley this afternoon.

Two victories against Israel and Russia has given new impetus to Steve McClaren's men's bid to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals.

His troops need to beat the Baltic state today and get at least a draw in Russia on Wednesday to ensure qualification.

McClaren's team selection is always under the spotlight but today's will get even more attention.

He was brave enough to bring back Emile Heskey to partner Michael Owen up front in the two previous games and now he has to decide whether to keep faith with Aston Villa's Gareth Barry or select Chelsea's Frank Lampard in midfield.

Barry, who is a relative rookie in central midfield, was superb in the two recent victories showing superb distribution and work-rate but Lampard is the star' name with 56 caps.

Let's hope the boss backs Barry and rewards him with a extended run in the middle with Steven Gerrard and does not pamper to the big names.

Due to Heskey's injury, Wayne Rooney is set to return up front with Owen. Together they have played 16 times together for their country. Owen hitting eight goals with Rooney striking seven.

So there's plenty of optimism there against a country that has conceded 18 goals in nine games and managed to score just three.

I just hope Paul Robinson will justify McClaren's faith in goal and keep a clean sheet.

I must admit I agree with the Spurs' keeper's selection, because Portsmouth's David James does not instill me with any confidence and where you look after that is anybody's guess.

By next Wednesday we can hopefully look forward to an England World Cup appearance and plan next year's summer holidays around the Euro finals.

o o o GOOD to see the diving Diva, sorry Dida, receive his punishment for his play-acting in the Champions League tie with Celtic. I just can't believe his club AC Milan are appealing against the sentence. Beggars belief!

Talking of sentences, former Terras boss Garry Hill must be counting his blessings after he received, what I think is a relatively light sentence after head-butting Salisbury City assistant-manager Tommy Widdrington.

His two-week suspension from football and ten-match touchline ban seems a touch lenient. I can't help thinking if this assault took place in the street then the punishment would have been a lot more severe.