Forget history; Wales are bent on knocking out their old enemy

ENGLAND and Wales have battled each other over a hundred times on a football pitch in a heated rivalry that dates back 137 years. So I find it fascinating that Thursday's Euro 2016 match in Lens, France is the very first time they are meeting in a major international tournament.

If history is any indication, England should win this one at a canter. In 101 previous Anglo-Welsh meetings, the Three Lions have tasted defeat on only 14 occasions.

Over a 30-year period from 1946 to 1976, England lost just once in 33 matches. This century, the teams have met four times, and England have won all of the games without conceding a single goal.