Charlotte Caslick, an influential figure in Australian rugby sevens, has chosen to step away from the sevens format for the rest of the year. Instead, she will fully immerse herself in the 15-a-side game in preparation for the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. This important tournament is scheduled to take place in England later this year, between August and September.
Caslick is set for her Super Rugby Women's debut with the Queensland Reds, being named on the bench for their upcoming Sunday match against the NSW Waratahs at Ballymore in Brisbane. Although she initially planned to balance both sevens and Super Rugby competitions, Caslick recently chose to withdraw from the remaining rounds of this year's World Rugby Sevens Series to concentrate solely on the 15-a-side game.
This strategic shift is intended to enhance her chances of selection for Australia's national women's rugby team, the Wallaroos. Reflecting on her decision to move to the 15-a-side format, Caslick stated the change would maintain her motivation and create valuable opportunities for personal growth. She expressed excitement about potentially representing Australia in the upcoming World Cup and emphasized the importance of setting pathways for future talent, aiming for continued growth and fan engagement following the successful model set by Australia's Matildas soccer team.
Caslick has had an extraordinary rugby career, spanning over a decade since joining the national sevens squad in 2013. The Olympic gold medalist, known for her speed and sharp rugby intelligence, has multiple world series titles and has twice received the accolade of world sevens player of the year. Her impressive sporting resume also includes a brief rugby league stint with the Sydney Roosters in the 2020 NRLW season.
Alongside Caslick, several of her fellow Olympians from the Paris qualifiers will join her aiming to strengthen the Queensland Reds team. Players such as Kahli Henwood (wing), Teagan Levi (centre), and current sevens captain Bella Nasser (bench) will also feature. However, Maddison Levi will miss matches due to a finger injury.
The Reds recently secured victory against Fijian Drua, and their upcoming opponents, the NSW Waratahs, enter this weekend buoyed after a winning season-opener against the Western Force.
6 Comments
Cerebro
This isn't just good for Caslick, it's great for Australian women's rugby as a whole.
Rotfront
I think Charlotte leaving sevens right now is a big mistake—we need her experience in both formats.
Karamba
Caslick’s skillset suits the sevens game so much better; not convinced this move will benefit her World Cup campaign.
Matzomaster
Sad to see her step away from sevens—her unique talent will be missed on that stage!
Leonardo
Choosing to fully drop sevens right when the team needs experience seems shortsighted.
Coccinella
I hope this decision doesn't negatively affect the timing and rhythm of her performance.