Iron boss Nigel Adkins added a topical spin to Thursday's training session ahead of the weekend's game with Leicester City by introducing a rugby ball to the warm-up.

After Saturday night's televised Championship clash with the Foxes, all eyes will be on the Stade de France as reigning champions England face South Africa in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final.

Not only have comparisons have been drawn between Jonny Wilkinson and co, and the floundering England football team in the week - but football managers up and down the land have also cited the national rugby team's never-say-die attitude as a perfect example of how their side can also be successful if they give no less than 100 per cent.

"In Thursday's training session the lads were bang on," said Adkins, a keen fan of rugby league side Leeds Rhinos himself, speaking on Iron World.  

"The training ground was magnificent and we introduced a rugby ball for the warm-up.

"We got everybody running around and the whole idea is to get the heart rate up anyway to get yourselves warm in preparation for the main thing.

When asked if there were any budding Wilkinson's in the Iron camp, Adkins added: "Jim Goodwin fancies himself as he's played a bit before.

"We had an English team against a Barbarians team, the rest of the world, and it was great.

"The whole idea is to get the body warm for preparation but if you can do that with a smile on your face then it's all beneficial."

Hear more from Iron boss Nigel Adkins on Iron World.