NIC Rhinos Netball sign bright young South Africa talent Tarle Mathe

Image: Netball South Africa on X /@Netball_SA

NIC Rhinos Netball have added South African star Tarle Mathe to their squad for the 2027 Netball Super League season, with the dynamic midcourter arriving in Yorkshire following a successful spell in the Telkom Netball League.

Mathe has emerged as one of South Africa's brightest young talents, with her rise highlighted by being named Player of the Tournament in Division One of the 2025 Telkom Netball League after helping Gauteng Golden Fireballs to the title.

The KwaZulu-Natal native began her netball journey in the township of Lamontville, Durban, initially taking up the sport after previously dreaming of becoming a professional boxer. Her talent soon became apparent, progressing through the KwaZulu-Natal pathway before making her Telkom Netball League debut with Kingdom Queens.

After spells with Kingdom Queens and Kingdom Stars, Mathe moved to Johannesburg to study at the University of Johannesburg, where she continued to develop under the guidance of South African netball legend and Proteas captain Bongiwe Msomi.

Her breakthrough at international level came in 2022 when she made her senior South Africa debut against Namibia. She was named Player of the Match in just her second appearance for the Proteas after producing an impressive display against Tanzania in the Africa Netball World Cup Qualifiers.

Mathe has continued to establish herself at the highest level of South African domestic netball, with her performances in the Telkom Netball League earning widespread recognition. Her Player of the Tournament award in 2025 followed a campaign in which she helped the Golden Fireballs lift the Division One title.

A versatile and athletic midcourter, Mathe can influence the game at both ends of the court. Her speed, fitness and ability to transition between attack and defence make her an exciting addition to the Rhinos squad, while her experience of competing against some of South Africa's leading players will add further quality to the midcourt.

Most recently, Mathe was part of South Africa's Proteas group that travelled to the 2026 Commonwealth games continuing her progression towards becoming an established international player.

Now, she will take the next step in her career by moving to England and joining the Netball Super League, fulfilling a long-held ambition to test herself in a new league.

Speaking about her move to Leeds, Mathe said:

“It honestly feels surreal. Signing an NSL contract is something I've worked towards for a long time, so to see that hard work turn into this opportunity is incredibly rewarding. I'm grateful for everyone who's been part of my journey, and I'm excited to challenge myself at the highest level and keep growing as a player.

Mathe explained why she wanted to join the Rhinos:

“The Rhinos stood out because of the environment they're building. It's a club with high standards, a strong culture, and a real commitment to developing players while competing at the highest level. I wanted to be somewhere that would push me every day, and I felt like the Rhinos was the right place to take that next step in my career.

I want to bring a lot of energy, work rate, and consistency. As a midcourter, I pride myself on applying pressure defensively and doing the little things that help the team succeed. I'll give everything in every session and every game and hopefully contribute to building strong connections with my teammates throughout the season.”

Head Coach Lauren Palmer added:

“Completing our 2027 lineup is the dynamic South African, Tarle Mathe. She’s got so much pace and vision to feed the shooters, but equally, defensively, she has great elevation and will be a real nuisance for opposition teams.

“She brings a really exciting balance to our mid-court and, hopefully, she can help us create plenty of opportunities and win us an awful lot more games. We’re really excited to have Tarle as our final signing for 2027.”

* Tarle’s arrival in Leeds is subject to the completion of the necessary documentation and travel arrangements.