4 Nations Ultimate: Team Wales

Thanks to the 4 Nations Ultimate committee, we’ve been granted early access to the team rosters, allowing us to type up some initial thoughts about each of the teams taking part in this new groundbreaking tournament. We also took the liberty of highlighting some players we think will make big impacts on the 4 Nations pitch.

Our final rundown is here, covering Team Wales!

The last of our 4 Nations teams, Team Wales, was selected based on an assessment of the sign-ups carried out by captains Retout and Sully. Whilst you may think selection was a simple task, we’ve heard from the captains themselves that it was no easy feat, requiring a great amount of thought and deliberation to ensure each of the athletes had what it takes to be a part of Team Wales. But they’ve successfully put together a determined squad, ready to take on the other nations. 

First impressions

Ahead of seeing the Wales roster, we really didn’t know which names to expect. Whilst Wales undoubtedly has a thriving ultimate community, it’s not quite in the same position as that of the other nations, making any sort of guessing game pretty tricky. Plus, the eligibility requirements allow for distant Welsh heritage to be sufficient, i.e. having a grandparent or parent from Wales; we don’t know about you, but that’s not something we tend to know about. 

After a quick look through the roster, we think Team Wales has the enviable position of being the tournament’s underdog. The reason we say this is because of perhaps the most obvious takeaway, that there’s limited ‘star’ power on this Welsh side. And by that we don’t mean a lack of talent, really just that there’s not as many BNOC’s with high-level national playing experience present as the other nations. Whilst that’s not a necessity by any means, having players armoured with such experience would be useful, with the tournament format allowing for only brief training time. But whilst most players on this squad may not fall within our limited definition of a ‘star’, that doesn’t mean this side isn’t one to be reckoned with – in fact, it’s the opposite. So, let’s get into it!

On the male-matching side are a couple of ‘up and coming’ names, including that of Kapma and Jackson. This season, Kapma is making his Deep Space debut, after being a big force for Leamington Lemmings and gaining experience at under-24 level with Great Britain mixed. And recent Leeds graduate Jackson is about to jet off to Spain for the under-24 World Championships where he’ll be playing with the Great Britain open team. Both players will likely be eager to prove themselves on this big stage during what is shaping up to be a significant year of ultimate for the both of them by bringing tenacity to the pitch, taking on the biggest matchups and using their height and hops to get the better of their opponents.

They’ll be complemented by ultimate veterans, Lees and Turner, both of whom boast over a decade of playing experience and have pre-existing chemistry from when playing with SMOG in the mixed division. Lees continues to be a large part of SMOG open’s offensive structure as a central handler, practicing patience on the disc and unleashing insane inside backhands whenever he feels like it. Turner, a certified defensive machine, is playing with Deep Space this year after some time in the open division with Chevron Action Flash. Whilst currently playing with Chevron, Tidswell is another player with SMOG history. A training player for Great Britain mixed last year, Tidswell boasts the desirable ability to comfortably take on any role on the pitch, which is particularly helpful when playing on a new team.

Flipping over to the female-matching side, on Team Wales is a group of quietly-skilled female athletes. Each of these players are cogs in the machine, executing their respective roles well and stepping up to the plate in a big way when required. Mudd and Retout will be vital deep receivers, winning air battles regularly and gaining crucial blocks with their tight match-defence. Speaking of defence, expect to see Haines putting her body on the line whilst on the hunt for a layout block or two. Stallan, a newer player to club ultimate, is getting some crucial experience with Spice this season following her time with mixed side BN1. She’ll help the team gain yards with her smart positioning and big under-cuts. And Fisk, a regular feature of Great Britain Masters squads, including the current mixed squad, will bring her depth of experience to help keep the team steady, along with strong pulls and a commanding presence on the disc.

Notably, on the female-matching side in particular, we can see how spread out these athletes are with each athlete currently playing for a different club team (Spice, Bristol, SMOG, Deep Space and Heck). With most not having played together either at club or university level, these female-matching athletes may struggle to find flow with each other, something they’ll have to address at their training sessions. Fortunately, as we’ve seen on the male-matching side there’s a lot more overlap, with plenty of Chevron Action Flash and SMOG representation, plus some Bristol chemistry for good measure. Whilst a mindset shift from open to mixed will be required, this pre-existing chemistry will really help Team Wales to get a good rhythm going and positively bring together many different play styles.

Players to Watch

Sasha Haines

Pocket-rocket Haines is one of the newest additions to the Deep Space roster, and it’s no surprise the team at the top of Europe wants her influence. Prior to Deep Space, Haines was a significant part of the Leamington Lemmings squad, and she’s also played at under-24 level with Great Britain mixed, where her talents were displayed on the world stage. If Haines is known for anything, it’s her constant defensive efforts on the pitch. She’ll always apply significant pressure to her opponents, looking for opportunities to either put her body on the line for a layout, or to race through and secure a poach block. But Haines also excels on offence; she’ll easily lose her defender with smart cuts, continuously grinding on the pitch and working hard for her teammates.

Hannah Mudd

A part of Bristol Women’s roster for the past 6 years, Mudd is one of the most reliable players in the UK women’s division. Watching her play, Mudd appears extremely confident and comfortable in all areas of the pitch. She’s commanding with the disc, not being afraid to take on big options, and she seems equally content pushing hard in the cutting space where she’ll capitalise off one simple mis-step from her defender and streak deep for the score. Mudd’s strong defensive skills are clear to see, too; you’ll find her often securing run through or poach blocks thanks to her tireless efforts and strong understanding of the game.

Andrew Turner

Turner has found success on many different UK ultimate club teams: he’s been to the World Ultimate Club Championships with SMOG Mixed, made history with Chevron Action Flash by winning Nationals, and is now on the Deep Space roster, hopefully about to make history again later this year. Turner isn’t new to the national stage, having represented Great Britain in the mixed division at both under-24 and senior level. Whilst he isn’t the flashiest player on the pitch, that doesn’t mean he won’t do his job to a T. Constantly working in the backfield, encouraging patience from his teammates and making good decisions, Turner does the grunt work that often goes unrecognised. He’s often seen backing up his teammates and playing tight defense, allowing him to apply pressure and secure the block.

Rhodri Williams

Starting out at a young age with the AirBadgers, Williams has been on an upward trajectory ever since. At university, Williams was a major part of his Sheffield team, kickstarting their resurgence and helping them secure many medals. He’s been to the World Ultimate Club Championships with Chevron Action Flash, a team he’s captained, and went on to win the national title with the same team after featuring on both the offensive and defensive lines throughout the final (we’re honestly not sure if he ever comes off the pitch). And to top it all off, bearing in mind we’ve probably missed something, he was one of the youngest players selected for the Great Britain Senior open squad in 2023, earning himself a silver medal at the European Championships. Williams offers a high ultimate IQ along with extreme athleticism and cutting and disc skills. He’ll be the biggest threat on Team Wales, thanks to his sure-fire ability to get open at high stalls and tendency to earn his team vital breaks.

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We’re confident that we’re going to see some excellent things from Team Wales at the 4 Nations tournament, where they’ll certainly give the other nations a run for their money!

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Four Nations Ultimate marks the first-ever showdown between the national mixed teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. 

Following the passing of Matt Tomlinson, a pillar of the Scottish Ultimate community, a fundraising page was put together by his family to support ultimate in Scotland. With portions earmarked for youth development, discussions also took place to do something with an impact and lasting potential.

COVID served as a roadblock to getting anything off the ground, but the organising committee (Cameron Mackie, Shaun Webb and Becca Hardman Carter) were determined for an event to take place in 2025. Whilst a few ideas were floating about, they kept coming back to a rugby style four nations tournament, and so 4NU was born. They, together with members of the Scottish ultimate community, have now turned the tournament into a reality. 

Four Nations Ultimate, or 4NU, will be held this year in Glasgow at Hillhead Sports Club, home to Hillhead Ultimate, on 9th August 2025. The tournament will be played using World Games rules with a mixed gender 6v6 format, and in true Scottish fashion, who knows what the weather will be like?