From Team Bath to Team Wales – Commonwealth Games dream becomes exciting reality for Poppy Tydeman and Lowri Windsor
Team Bath Netball’s Poppy Tydeman and Lowri Windsor say representing Team Wales at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will be a dream come true.
The duo, who shone brightly in Blue & Gold during the 2026 NXT Gen League season, are both making their Commonwealth debuts this summer, with 19-year-old Windsor stepping up to senior level less than 12 months after competing at the Netball Youth World Cup.
“It’s a real honour to represent my country, something I’ve always dreamed of, and to be going out there on such a big stage means a lot,” said Windsor, who plays wing-attack and studies Sports Performance at the University of Bath.
Wing-defence Tydeman, voted by the fans as Team Bath’s Player of the Year in 2026, is also thrilled to have earned a place in the 12-strong Welsh squad.
“There are players in the squad that I’ve looked up to since I was growing up so to even be playing alongside them, let alone going to a Commonwealth Games with them, is honestly a dream come true,” she said.
Wales, who also include former Team Bath Netball Super League captain Bethan Dyke in their ranks, have been drawn in Pool B with New Zealand, Jamaica, Uganda, Trinidad & Tobago and host nation Scotland.
“New Zealand and Jamaica will be pushing for medals, so it is going to be surreal and a huge experience to play against them,” said Tydeman.
“Our main goal is to beat Scotland. They are a big rival of ours and beat us in the Celtic Cup last year, not by much, so we’re looking to get our revenge. One of our other target games would be Uganda. If we can win those two games we’ll be pushing for the fifth and sixth play-off.”
Tydeman was a regular starter for Wales when Glasgow hosted the 2025 Celtic Cup, marking a strong return to the international stage after undergoing ankle surgery just four days after making her senior debut in 2024.
She currently has seven Test caps while Windsor is on course to win her first at the Games, much to the admiration of her team-mate for club and country.
“I remember looking at Lowri at trials and being like, wow, she really stepped up,” said Tydeman. “She’s really come out of nowhere but she has been amazing this season. She has been confident on court and her feed is amazing. To think of what’s to come for her is huge.”
Tydeman is also grateful to have another familiar face on the sidelines, Team Bath NXT Gen League Joint Head Coach Natalie Roddy who is assistant to Wales Head Coach Emily Handyside – herself a University of Bath graduate – in Glasgow.
“Honestly I would not be the netballer that I am today without Nat,” said Tydeman. “I look back at the defender I was when I first came to Bath when I was 19 to now and I’m a completely different player. I say this to Nat all the time, it is truly down to her.”
Wales begin their Commonwealth Games campaign against Uganda on Saturday afternoon, followed by their crunch match against Scotland on Sunday morning.
