War of words heats up before Wales-England match

PARIS — An overabundance of latenight pints, post-bar kebabs and a brief, but spirited, conversation about a local ‘peep show’ sparked a conversation about the differences between Wales and England.

Two tanked-up Welshmen were eager to open up during an afterhours excursion — nothing overly sophisticated, of course. Just a brutally honest assessment of their overlords to the east.

The conversation nosedived when it descended into a compare and contrast session about Welsh and English women. To summarize, the English apparently are “shite” when it comes to anything and everything. That was the extent of it. Actually, that’s been the extent of most of the pre-match buildup. Ahead of England-Wales at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens Thursday night, news conferences and player talks have turned into — as Britons say — pissing matches.

Welsh superstar Gareth Bale: England doesn’t have our “pride and passion.”

English manager Roy Hodgson was quick to answer: That’s “disrespectful.”

The Real Madrid striker almost seemed pleased with himself.

“It’s good (Hodgson) bit,” Bale said a few days later. “I didn’t say England didn’t have pride or passion, just that, in my opinion, we have more.”

Mouth-watering stuff for British media.

Then came the craziest non-Russian comment at Euro 2016. Asked how many Englishmen would walk into Wales’ lineup, Bale continued winding up the press.

“None,” he answered, revealing a smile amid a room full of laughter.

What the match Thursday amounts to is a Group B meeting between a Premier League Dream Team and a side mostly comprised of also-rans — other than Bale, of course.

England is undoubtedly favoured to get back on track after conceding a devastating equalizer to Russia Saturday. A win over Wales would put them back in charge of Group B with a group-decider against Slovakia Monday.

Wales, meanwhile, is doing its best to unsettle the English side with mounting expectations. The Welsh will rely on their top player and, well, passion to see them through following a Day 1 win over Slovakia.

“I’m not saying England doesn’t have pride and passion, just that whatever sport we are talking about, Wales seem to have the next level,” Bale added. “You really feel it out on pitch, or when watching games. I’m just giving my opinion.”

The Welsh seem to be good at that.