Tarle Mathe’s year will go down as one of the best of her career. The gritty midcourt player won two titles with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) but the highlight would be her contract overseas.
Mathe will experience her first semi-professional stint in netball in the 2027 season. The pint-sized midcourt player has signed for NIC Leeds Rhinos for next year’s Netball Super League (NSL). A dream that had been in the works for some time.
Her efforts for the Spar Proteas at the Spar Challenge in January, along with her performances for the various teams she plays for, including the Gauteng Golden Fireballs, played a big role in convincing coach Lauren Palmer that Mathe is a puzzle piece that she needs in her team. Rhinos didn’t have the best season this year, they finished the NSL season at the bottom of the table after recording only one win and enduring 13 losses.
Mathe received a call from her agent, presenting the opportunity for her to move to the United Kingdom, it was an offer she couldn’t refuse. She says she had been having conversations with her mother, Thabile Mathe, about her dream of playing abroad.
“It was so emotional for me because playing there was one of my dreams. My mom was so proud when I told her the news because we had been talking about me wanting to leave and play abroad. She had been pushing me to do my best so that I could leave.
"I want to play some of my best netball, make good connections and friendships. It’s going to be tough but I know I will have to be mentally strong but I know that my mother and family will be just a phone call away. I hope I will make an impact in the team,” said Mathe.
The 2025 Telkom Netball League (TNL) Player of the Tournament’s stars had aligned well for her this year. The Proteas began the year on a high with a 2-1 series win over the England Roses, the Fireballs took the silver medal in the TNL, her UJ side successfully defended their University Sport South Africa Netball Championships title.
The Bongiwe Msomi-led team also finally won the Varsity Netball competition after three attempts. Mathe describes her year as amazing.
“2026 has been an amazing journey. It started well with the Proteas winning the series against England and making the squad to the Commonwealth Games was big. The Commonwealths were a great experience, unfortunately we didn’t get to finish where we wanted to.
"Our plan was to get a semifinal spot but we ended up finishing fifth. And with UJ, it has been a great journey with them. We put in hard work going to USSA and the Varsity Cup, it was major for us winning those two tournament.
"Being my last year at UJ, we had to finish on a high and be one of those players that make history for the university. My name is in the history books, I left UJ having finally won the Varsity Cup and winning the USSA championships back to back,” she said.
She believes that playing in overseas leagues is vital in improving players performance and confidence when they face the big name players in global competitions such as the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
“I think it is important for our players to get exposed to playing against the top players because when we go play in the World Cup or Commonwealths, we face them. Knowing their style of play and how to match them up when we meet in international stage goes a long way,” she explained.
Mathe is on the line to playing her first World Cup. She was named in Netball South Africa’s latest list of contracted players for the 2027 international season and looks set to make Jenny van Dyk’s squad that will travel Down Under for the 17th edition of the competition.
The 16-nation tournament will be held at the Afterpay Arena in Sydney, Australia from 25 August to 5 September. The Durban-born player missed out on the opportunity to play in front of the home crowd in the 2023 edition, she says she is excited at the opportunity of representing South Africa at the biggest netball competition.
“I am excited and it feels surreal that 2023 was just now now and now we are counting down to next year’s World Cup. I feel like Team South Africa, as a whole, and as individuals as well, we have a lot of work to put in before then.
"I think I almost have everything but I need to build up strength because I have to match up with the top countries because they are quite physical. In order to match them, I will have to be physically stronger,” she said.