Photo credit: Hayley Bavin
Domestic league action returned in the UK this weekend with the Netball Super League’s (NSL) season opener, The Soft & Gentle Netball Super Cup, taking place in Sheffield live and on demand on NetballPass* for the international netball family.
All seven teams took to court throughout the day, firstly playing in their two groups followed by knockout rounds.
The Final line-up ended up being a repeat of last year with Loughborough Lightning taking on London Pusle.
However, this time it was Lightning that struck down the defending Soft & Gentle Netball Super Cup and Netball Super League (NSL) Champions, Pulse, in the dying seconds beating them 18-17.
Lightnings international shooting circle, of Trinidad & Tobago’s Samantha Wallace-Joseph and England’s Ella Clark, was on fire, with Wallace-Joseph shooting at 82% in the group stages and Clark 92%.
Wallace-Joseph was later awarded Player of the Match for her performance in the Final.
Having finished at the bottom of the NSL table last season Leeds Rhinos and LexisNexis Dragons stormed into the 2026 season, both making the Soft & Gentle Netball Super Cup Semi-Finals and setting their intentions for the season ahead.
Welsh Feather Leah Middleton was back on court and crucial for Dragons in defence, whilst South Africa SPAR Protea Sanmarie Visser looked right at home for Rhinos as she made her NSL debut.
You can catch up on the Soft & Gentle Netball Super Cup on NetballPass*, here.
NSL Round 1 will begin on Friday 27th March live on NetballPass* for the international netball family, whilst those in the UK should head to BBC and Sky Sports.
Each round this season we will pick one international player from each team that we believe deserves a spotlight so make sure you keep an eye on our website and our social channels, @worldnetball on TikTok and Facebook and @worldnetball_ on Instagram.
*Viewers in the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, France and Poland will not be able to watch via NetballPass.