The goal shooter who learned to love her height

"I really disliked being six foot five and now I just walk around and I don't even realise I'm this tall."

Georgia Rowe cuts a towering figure on the netball court.

With the exception of Uganda's Mary Cholhok - who stands at 6ft 7in (2.01m) - there are no others taller than the Welsh 195cm goal shooter.

While the 31-year-old's stature is seemingly ideal for the position she plays, she wasn't always comfortable in her own skin.

After initially denying the requests from friends and PE teachers to get her to join the school team, it was a call from her father to Welsh Netball before her 18th birthday that finally got her started.

Fourteen years on, and more than 80 caps later, Rowe is attempting to qualify for her third Netball World Cup.

"People are amazed how late I started in the sport," she told BBC Sport Wales.

"My parents pushed me and I'm really thankful for that.

"I don't know what I would be doing, I'd still be sat in front of the TV probably hiding away and walking around with my friends feeling like I was the odd one out."

Rowe recalled the nerves she experienced in the beginning.

"I can remember when I first started playing, being so nervous driving myself to a training session, knowing that I'm going to be put through pain and be put in uncomfortable situations," she added.

"I've learned to deal with that but I still have the nerves and the butterflies.

"It's not an easy challenge, no matter how many years that you've been doing it.

"I think you just learn to adapt and take a look inside yourself and build up your strengths and I still love it just as much as I did 13 years ago."

The Newport native is grateful for the opportunities the sport has afforded her.

"Netball has obviously taken me to some amazing places," Rowe pointed out.

"Now I'm surrounded by tall women and I do love it, I'm so thankful for it."

Rowe became the 201st Welsh netball international, making her debut in May 2015 against England, two years after her netball career began.

"Sometimes I wish that I'd started a little bit sooner but I think it came to me at the perfect time.

"It's changed me I'm never going to be ashamed to be this tall again."

Wales by their own expectations underperformed as they finished 10th at the Commonwealth Games this summer, Rowe's third Games.

Such are her standards, the goal shooter was disappointed in her own performances, despite scoring with 142 of her 145 shots across six matches at the Games.

"We have a point to prove for sure," said Rowe.

"We've come away from the Commonwealth Games with lots to learn and lots to try and fix.

"The World Cup qualifiers are massive for us, it's a huge opportunity for us to just reset ourselves.

"To be back in this environment is always amazing and the feeling never really gets old being picked to play for your country."

Having played at the 2015 World Cup in Sydney, Rowe knows the reward on offer at the qualifiers.

"To qualify for this World Cup and go back to Sydney where we feel like there's unfinished business from the last one there, it would just be so special," she added.

"The fact that we have to earn it also, we don't just get to qualify like other countries, we have to earn this now.

"It's now or never, we're qualifying for that World Cup."

While Rowe hopes next year will end with a trip to Sydney, it will begin in February with her 10th season for Netball Super League (NSL) side LexisNexis Dragons.

A promising 2026 saw the Cardiff-based club finish fifth, six wins and eight defeats seeing them narrowly miss out on the play-off spots by three points.

Rowe says it was an easy decision to return.

"I started as a Dragon and I'd like to end as a Dragon.

"I'm 31 now and I don't know how long I've got left and I love Cardiff.

"I've played away in Newcastle and in Worcester but there's nothing better than just coming home after you've had a really hard session.

"You can go back to your loved ones just down the road and continue life as normal.

"It was the easiest decision for me."

And as she prepares to take to the court in Glasgow this weekend, there is a chance for revenge against her Dragons team-mate Niamh McCall who inspired Scotland to a 56-47 win over Wales at the Commonwealth Games.

"Revenge on Niamh? Yes, absolutely, she deserves it," Rowe said, with a smile on her face.

"There's nerves involved in it, but there's also excitement coming up against a team-mate.

"We know Niamh from the way she plays and her as a person inside and out, but she's also got that knowledge on us as players.

We'll be putting the pressure on her a little more than the other players, just because we know her, we respect her and we know that she's a brilliant player.

"It's going to be a feisty one, but it always is with Scotland."

As Rowe enters the twilight of her career she says a century of caps is definitely a goal before she hangs up the red dress.

"I'd like to get to 100 [caps], I think that would be a nice parting way to go," said the player who passed 80 caps at the summer's Commonwealth Games.

"I've had so many amazing experiences.

"This sport has completely transformed me as a person inside and out.

"I've made the best memories, got the best friends from it.

"I'm just looking forward to what's still to come, but job first before I think about anything else."

Rowe stopped short of wanting to become Wales' most capped netballer ever, a record held by Suzy Drane with 125.

"In respect to Suzy, I don't want to beat her," said Rowe.

"I completely think that she deserves to be the most capped and I hope that she keeps that.

"I think I would proudly be able to walk away reaching 100."

Vicky Booth, Millie Carter, Alex Johnson, Nansi Kuti, Zoe Matthewman, Leah Middleton (vice-capt), Caris Morgan, Bethan Partridge (capt), Megan Pilkington, Georgia Rowe, Lowri Windsor, Phillipa Yarranton.

Friday, September 25

Wales v Northern Ireland 17:00 (BST)

Scotland v Republic of Ireland 19:00 (BST)

Saturday, September 26

Republic of Ireland v Wales 15:00 (BST)

Scotland v Northern Ireland 17:00 (BST)

Sunday, September 27

Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland 12:00 (BST)

Scotland v Wales 14:00 (BST)