Base Camp challenge for Day

Former England womens rugby captain Sue Day is undertaking the Everest Base Camp challenge to help raise funds for the Wooden Spoon charity. Day, who won 59 caps in a career that saw her play in three World Cups, is still involved in the womens game working with the England Sevens development squad and occasionally with her old club Wasps.

Day has been involved with the Wooden Spoon charity, which has a long association with British and Irish Rugby, for over four years. The charity raises funds for disadvantaged young people.

Day explains: I am climbing to Everest Base Camp which will take me up to around 5,500m high. The whole trip will take about three weeks in total so it will be quite challenge fitness wise. I am nowhere near the levels of fitness I was when I was playing at the top level and there may be some altitude sickness to contend with too but Im really looking forward to it. Wooden Spoon is a charity dear to my heart and is such a worthy cause.

Day, played for England between 1996 and 2007, scoring a record 61 tries. She remains the top try scorer in IRB World Cups, with 19 tries, and says shes delighted to have something new to challenge for.

It's a while now since I retired from rugby and I miss that feeling of having a challenge to aim for something. I have done lots with this charity over the years, getting involved in the Sevens team who goes out to Dubai every year among other things.

Day(pictured left training for the challenge) is still involved in the game, helping to coach the Wasps backs from time to time and also getting involved in developing the next wave of England Sevens talent.

Its good to stay involved on the coaching front, and with England it's very exciting trying to help to develop the next generation. Other than that, I do the occasional bit of commentating for Sky, which is great fun. Instead of sitting at home, shouting at the telly and disagreeing with the commentator, I get to be that commentator and say what I like!

In her time as England captain, Day was a well-known figure in the womens game, and she says shed like to see the game step up in terms of its media profile in England.

I think that it's a shame it's not higher. The girls work extraordinarily hard, England and indeed all of the other countries too, juggling 'professional' training with their jobs and they deserve every little bit of credit and recognition that comes their way. In trying to get recognition for any women's sport, though, we are constantly battling against history for a few column inches. The papers and the TV schedules were full before most women's sport ever even came along and so nudging the men to one side is going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort.

To sponsor Sue click on the link below or text EVER72 x (substituting the x for the amount you want to donate) to 70070

http://www.justgiving.com/Sue-Day13