After offering good service to the Ashburton-based union during 15 appearances in the green and gold jersey, Mathie was included in the Canterbury side for the developmental tour of Argentina at the end of 1996 and returned home from that trip as the side’s leading point-scorer. While his 50 points from four appearances on that trip, made up of three tries, seven conversions and seven penalty goals, didn’t seal a place in the Canterbury side the following season, his efforts weren’t forgotten when injuries and unavailability opened up a position among the threequarters for the 1998 campaign. The speedy Mathie featured in nine games for Canterbury in 1998, winning a call up to the Crusaders for the following season where he gained his sole cap as a substitute during the win over the Blues at Eden Park.