NETBALL SUPER CUP

Lightning pip Pulse at the Soft & Gentle Netball Super Cup

With the Super League moving on apace – we’ll report on that in full in the next issue of 5TH QTR – we thought it worth reflecting on the season’s curtain opener, the Soft & Gentle Netball Super Cup, so let’s go back to the beginning of the day in Sheffield on 21 February…

The eight teams were drawn into two pools for the group stages, with each team playing three 14-minute games. The top two from each pool made the semi-finals, with Lightning beating NIC Leeds Rhinos 13-9, and Pulse coming out on top 18-16 against LexisNexis Dragons.

In the final, Loughborough Lightning pipped last season's winners London Pulse 18-17, and with Pulse going on to take the Netball Super League title in 2025, this event could be seen as a useful form guide.

With the score 11-9, Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match in the final Samantha Wallace-Joseph unleashed her long-range shooting ability, bagging Amex Super Shots at will to push Lightning ahead. The goal shooter's 80 per cent Amex Super Shot accuracy proved the difference in a nail-biting finish.

Pulse went on a late run of goals, but the buzzer blocked their chance to repeat last year's victory, and they fell just one short. Head Coach of Loughborough Lightning Vic Burgess said: "It's been a really good day for us. We came into this knowing it's a little bit different. It can be tough and it can be quick, and Pulse nearly caught us.

“That hunger is within us and I can feel it this season even more than last year.”

"I'm really proud of the girls. They were up for it. They were chilled but with a focus on doing well for each other. The girls love winning and I love winning."

Lightning co-captain Nat Panagarry said: “It’s been one of our best pre-seasons. I think we’ve lifted our intensity, and that’s probably from the final and feeling a bit sorry for yourself.

“You want to hunt it. That hunger is within us and I can feel it this season even more than last year. That is a good place to be at the start. We’ve set a marker now. We’re here and we are here to make the final!”

NIC Leeds Rhinos and LexisNexis Dragons, who occupied the bottom two spots in the Netball Super League last season, reached the semifinals and looked revitalised.

The Soft & Gentle Grand Final is coming to Manchester’s Co-op Live on 20 June. Get your tickets here .

Netball Super Cup 2026 results

Group 1:

Lightning 23-21 Forest

LexisNexis Dragons 18-6 Panthers

Forest 14-12 Panthers

Lightning 18-15 LexisNexis

Dragons

LexisNexis Dragons 15-9 Forest

Lightning 19-18 Panthers

Group 2:

NIC Rhinos 16-9 AO Thunder

Pulse 15-8 Mavericks

Pulse 21-13 AO Thunder

Mavericks 13-13 NIC Rhinos

Mavericks 19-8 AO Thunder

Pulse 13-12 NIC Rhinos

Semi-finals:

Lightning 13-9 NIC Rhinos

Pulse 18-16 LexisNexis Dragons

Final:

Lightning 18-17 Pulse