DAVID Bentley revealed he has returned to Ewood Park deflated at England needing to rely on outside influences in order to qualify for Euro 2008, yet has been boosted, along with the nation, at the Three Lions' progress to the Rugby World Cup Final.

Bentley will play host to family and friends as they sit down to watch the clash between England and South Africa in Paris tonight just three days after the country's footballing elite lost their crucial qualifier in Russia.

But as the nation seeks to recover from that devastating blow, which means they must not lose to Croatia in their final group game and hope that nearest rivals Russia are beaten by Israel in order to secure a place in the tournament, Bentley believes he and his national team-mates can find solace in their rugby union counterparts, and learn from them.

"You can take a lot of inspiration when you watch the rugby lads, the togetherness of them all. I think football can take a lot from that," said the 23-year-old, who geared up for tonight's final with a rugby spot-kick contest against his Rovers team-mate, South African Benni McCarthy.

"They're not the most talented team that's in the World Cup, they've just got through by working for each other and fighting for everything. It was good to watch them play.

"For every sportsman, when you get knocked down it's how you react and respond and come back.

"They've shown on more than one occasion that when they get knocked down they just get back up and keep coming at you."

England's footballers must show their own resilience against Croatia in their final qualifier in a month's time, although Bentley remains frustrated that they are not in complete control of their own destiny.

"Hopefully, it will be a difficult game in Israel for Russia and hopefully they can do us a favour," he said.

"We're relying on Israel now aren't we. From a personal and team perspective you want to play in the big tournaments and you want to play at the highest level. But for the country itself, you can't imagine England not being there next summer. It would be hard to take.

"It was so disappointing that we lost (in Russia) and we might not have the chance to play in the tournament.

"With the players and the team we've got we have a chance of winning it if we get there. It's just disappointing we haven't got the results.

"It would be gutting if we weren't there, and I don't know if I'd be able to watch it, because you want to play, especially for your country, in those tournaments."

But although devastated by the result at the Luznikhi Stadium, Bentley is still relishing being involved with the national squad.

"It's about being involved and learning and looking at the top players," he said. "Just being involved with the set-up and learning what it's about and how to go about my business and how to be a top England player.

"That's what I look to do every day in training, and on matchdays just see how everything goes, see what I have to do and see how I can have an influence on it when hopefully I get my chance.

"It was a good experience even though it was a bad result."

He added: "When you're kicked and you're down it's how you react and respond as a footballer.

"You're going to lose matches - that's part of football."