Call to #BleedForEngland as Rugby World Cup approaches

Stars like Jonny Wilkinson have backed the campaign. Credit: NHS Blood and Transplant

England's rugby legends have backed a campaign to get more people to donate blood.

NHS Blood and Transplant is leading the #BleedForEngland push, and they want 100,000 new volunteers to register as blood donors between England's first warm up game, and the end of the world's biggest rugby tournament.

They say there's a desperate need, because currently less than three percent of people aged between 17 and 70 have donated blood in the past year, whereas research shows 24 percent cheered England on when they won the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The campaign is backed by Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, Ben Kay, Jason Leonard, Maggie Alphonsi and Matt Dawson.

Watch the promotional video here: