Latest news with #RachelRowe
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Underdogs' Wales happy to be written off at Euro 2025
Wales' players say they are happy to be written off at Euro 2025 as they bid to cause an upset in been drawn against defending champions England and formidable opponents in France and the Netherlands, Opta give Wales just a 9% chance of getting out of their group, a 2% chance of reaching the semi-final, a 1% chance of reaching the are the lowest ranked side at Euro 2025, their first major tournament, and have never beaten a side ranked in the world's top suggest Wales have a 71% chance of finishing bottom of their qualifying group, but Wales' players say they are comfortable with being dismissed as having no hope."You want to come to a major tournament, and you want to play against the best teams," defender Gemma Evans told BBC Sport Wales."We are fine with the group. We're fine with outside noise, or people who don't have any faith in us or are underestimating us."We know the talent we've got in the group. We know what we've got to do. We are happy with the position we're in, and we know what we will do." Wales kick-off their tournament on Saturday, 5 July against the Netherlands and midfielder Rachel Rowe says the players are ready to show they belong on the biggest stage."The pressure comes from within our group and what our expectations are of ourselves," Rowe explained."I think we're fully focused on doing the nation proud and doing ourselves proud first and foremost."We want to put in performances so that we can step off the pitch and say we gave everything. On our best day, as long as we perform, we can put in a performance and get results." Striker Elise Hughes says "it is a Wales thing," to embrace the tag of underdogs."I think when you qualify for major tournament there's only 16 teams here, and that's 16 of the best in Europe," she said."Any group that you go into is going to be tough. Ours is obviously particularly yeah, it's a Wales thing to do. It's a Wales thing to be an underdog. We are relishing that opportunity."We want to come here and play in the biggest games, and our group is allowing us to do that, and we'll be more than ready."
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales have improved due to backing and resources
Uefa Women's Nations League: Wales v DenmarkVenue: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff Date: Friday, 4 April Kick-off: 19:15 BSTCoverage: Live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentaryHighlights: S4C and iPlayer, 21:50 GMT and later on demand. Wales midfielder Rachel Rowe says increased resources and support has made her and her teammates believe they belong among world football's elite women will play at a major tournament for the first time this summer after qualifying for the 2025 European Championships in Wilkinson's side are also competing in the top tier of the Nations League, with Denmark visiting Cardiff on Friday before Wales travel to Sweden who are ranked sixth in the journey has been a long one and with her and her teammates now paid the same international match fee as their male counterparts and offered the same facilities, Rowe admits it has helped to grow the belief of what can be achieved."Being entirely honest, a lot of us have been told to be grateful for so long," she said."You do get to a point in your career where you think, yes, I am grateful, but there's still so much room for improvement. That's the point where we've got to now."Like resources for example, how can you expect to be at the top when your resources are at the bottom. "When you meet somewhere in the middle, the expectation is fair, and we get that now, we get treated fairly. It's good to see the progress on the pitch, but also to see it as a whole. That's what we've got to look at as a nation. When there is resources and investment, there is progress." Rowe believes Wales' maiden performance at a major tournament can be a transformative moment for football in Wales."2025 is a moment of big change," she said. "There has been so much development so far, but this is the perfect opportunity, externally, to take women's football seriously."There's always been this expectation, but sometimes resources don't meet that expectation."We've been building as a nation for years; women's football has been building for years to get to a point of something big happening. "It happened with England at the Euros, and my hope from getting to a major tournament is that it filters back down into the Adran Leagues and there's change in that and more investment, and in five or 10 years, we can see the progress."Wales have started their Nations League campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat in Italy before shocking Sweden with a 1-1 draw at who missed the Sweden match with injury, felt the contest underlined Wales' new philosophy under boss Rhian Wilkinson, who wants Wales to be braver in possession."We're transforming into a nation that plays football," Rowe said. "We've always prided ourselves on our defensive organisation and being difficult to break down, that's what our identity has always been, but now we're developing into something else."That's because we're being given free rein to do that, and in the past, we haven't been given that. On a training pitch, anyone can keep the ball, but to do it in a game with high stakes and where results have consequences, it's exciting." Denmark's visit to the Cardiff City Stadium should provide a good barometer for Wales, with the Danes winning 5-1 in Cardiff in 2023 as Wales were relegated from Nations League pot believes Wales are more confident now and increasingly comfortable playing the best sides in the world."There definitely isn't that fear factor of, we know what happened last time against Denmark," she added. "I think there was a bit of fear that first time around. We have an expectation in the group that we are going to compete, and sometimes that doesn't happen. We've got ourselves in a much better position now to compete against League A opposition."There is that internal belief that we can pick up points in any game, so as a collective we are in a completely different headspace. "We're not content coming bottom of the group and going back down, because that makes qualification harder. We know the stakes in these games, and that's why we're going full gas."
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales' Rowe returns to face Denmark and Sweden
Rachel Rowe has returned to the Wales squad as Rhian Wilkinson's side prepare to face Denmark and Sweden in the Nations Rowe, 32, missed the opening camp of 2025 in February through she has been included in Wilkinson's 26-player squad as Wales host Denmark at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 4 April (19:15 BST) before facing Sweden at Gothenburg's Gamla Ullevi Stadium on Tuesday, 8 April (18:00 BST)."It is great to have her back," Wilkinson said."If you've meet Rowey, there is a unique intensity about her." Wilkinson's side opened their Nations League campaign with a 1-0 loss to Italy in Monza, but secured an impressive 1-1 draw with Sweden - who were ranked fifth in the world by Fifa - in Wrexham four days later to earn their first point of the has named an experienced squad with only two uncapped players - Bristol City's Tianna Teisar and Blackburn Rovers' Poppy Soper - former Canada international says the return of Rowe will help to ensure Wales maintain good standards."Rowey is a senior international who has given everything to her country," she said."She's had a setback from injury, but to have her back in and to bring that confidence, something the players connect with."With her at the helm everyone will give everything they have, or they will hear about it. You should have nothing left at the end of playing for your country and she epitomises that."Mared Griffiths and Scarlett Hill have been left out of the squad as they will be involved in with Wales Under-19s squad for the Euro round 2 League A qualifiers. Chelsea midfielder Sophie Ingle remains sidelined due to injury, but will visit the Wales last faced Denmark in October 2023, losing 2-1 under Gemma travel to Denmark for their final away Nations League fixture on 30 May before hosting Italy at the Stadium on 3 June ahead of their maiden Euro campaign, which takes place in Switzerland in feels the level of competition remains the ideal preparation for Euro 2025 where Wales will face France, Netherlands and England."We know when we get these opportunities we have to make them count," Wilkinson said."Playing these teams we won't get many chances, we have to be clinical and make sure our possession is in the most dangerous areas."We need to be the best version of ourselves." Wales squad Olivia Clark, Laura O'Sullivan-Jones, Safia Middleton-Patel, Poppy Soper, Rhiannon Roberts, Josie Green, Charlie Estcourt, Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans, Mayzee Davies, Lily Woodham, Ella Powell, Esther Morgan, Alice Griffiths, Angharad James, Lois Joel, Carrie Jones, Ffion Morgan, Jess Fishlock, Rachel Rowe, Kayleigh Barton, Tianna Teisar, Hannah Cain, Elise Hughes.
