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Arsenal midfielder seeking to match Wales rugby team’s win over England
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The midfielder was eight when the Wales rugby team memorably beat England at their temporary Wembley home in April 1999
Aaron Ramsey wants Wales to recapture the Wembley spirit in Lens and party like it is 1999 when Wales memorably beat England at their temporary Wembley home.
Memories of that game came flooding back for rugby fan Ramsey when he received messages of support before Thursday’s Euro 2016 showdown between England and Wales.
“I’ve had a few messages off the rugby players,” said Ramsey. “Scott Quinnell sent quite a funny one.”
Quinnell, like Ramsey now, had bleached blond hair that day and it was his pass which set Scott Gibbs away for the match-winning try.
“Hopefully we can win like them,” said Ramsey. “It’s been a long time since we beat them. It’s about time we changed that.
“We’ve ticked off a few things along the way and we’ve closed the gap, and hopefully we can show that on the big stage.
“We want to match them, then go on and better them.”
Whereas England and Wales are regular rugby foes – playing each other three times in nine months – games between the two countries in football are a lot rarer.
The two countries have only played each other four times since the British Home Championship was abolished in 1984, England winning all four games.