As the Welsh Feathers prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Scotland, interim head coach Reinga Bloxham has announced a notable change to the squad. Millie Carter, who plays for Manchester Thunder in the Netball Super League NXT Gen, has been added to the roster, replacing Poppy Tydeman.
This adjustment comes as the team looks to improve upon their performance from the Commonwealth Games, where they finished in 10th place. Carter, a former Cardiff Met student, made her international debut against Zimbabwe in November 2025 and will be looking to make her mark in this crucial qualifying tournament.
Bloxham, who previously served as team manager and specialist coach for Wales during the Commonwealth Games, will be assisted by Sarah Lewis in leading the team. The Welsh squad has seen a significant drop in their world ranking, falling from seventh to ninth after their Commonwealth Games outing.
In the upcoming qualifiers, Wales will face three opponents: the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Notably, Wales enters the tournament as the highest-ranked team among the competitors, with the Republic of Ireland sitting at 21st, Northern Ireland at 15th, and Scotland at 10th. These matches will take place at the Playsport Arena in East Kilbride from September 25 to 27.
The stakes are high, as the top two teams from this qualifying round will secure a spot in the 2027 World Cup in Sydney, Australia. The Welsh Feathers will be particularly motivated to seek redemption against Scotland, who handed them a 56-47 defeat during the pool stage of the Commonwealth Games. In their last World Cup appearance in 2023, Wales managed to secure a ninth-place finish, defeating Scotland 57-42.
Leading the squad into the qualifiers will be captain Bethan Partridge (formerly known as Dyke), with Leah Middleton serving as vice-captain. The squad features five players from the Dragons team for the upcoming 2026-27 Netball Super League season, as well as Phillipa Yarranton, who has recently left the Welsh franchise to pursue opportunities in Australia.
The complete Welsh Feathers squad for the qualifiers includes Vicky Booth, Millie Carter, Alex Johnson, Nansi Kuti, Zoe Matthewman, Leah Middleton (vice-captain), Caris Morgan, Bethan Partridge (captain), Megan Pilkington, Georgia Rowe, Lowri Windsor, and Phillipa Yarranton.
The fixtures for the qualifiers are as follows:
Friday, September 25
Wales vs. Northern Ireland at 17:00 (GMT)
Scotland vs. Republic of Ireland at 19:00 (GMT)
Saturday, September 26
Republic of Ireland vs. Wales at 15:00 (GMT)
Scotland vs. Northern Ireland at 17:00 (GMT)
Sunday, September 27
Northern Ireland vs. Republic of Ireland at 12:00 (GMT)
Scotland vs. Wales at 14:00 (GMT)
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