Olympics 2024: Charlotte Caslick eyes second Rugby Sevens gold

Sevens captain Charlotte Caslick has urged her teammates to push their battered bodies through one more campaign in a bid to have them experience the high of Olympic gold.

Australia’s Charlotte Caslick controls the ball during the 2024 HSBC Canada Sevens rugby tournament match between Australia and Fiji at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada, on February 23, 2024. Picture: Don MacKinnon / AFP

Sevens captain Charlotte Caslick is urging her teammates to push their battered bodies through one more campaign in a bid to have them experience the high of Olympic gold.

The Australian women claimed the inaugural SVNS grand final with a win over France following a second placing to New Zealand in the SVNS world series.

Winners of the first Olympic rugby sevens title in Rio in 2016, a campaign in which Caslick featured prominently, the Aussies missed the podium completely in Tokyo.

But they have remodelled themselves into contenders for Paris in the years since, taking out the sport’s triple crown in 2022, winning the Commonwealth Games, World Cup and world series, and remaining on or near the top of the world series ladder in the lead-up to Paris.

Charlotte Caslick has urged her teammates to push their battered bodies through one more campaign to win Olympic gold. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

After winning the grand final in Madrid three weeks ago, Australia has tried to maintain its level, playing a mini tournament against Fiji, Japan and Australia A in Brisbane this week.

The Olympic squad of 12 will be named next week before the sevens sides head to France for a training camp in Montpellier ahead of the Games.

While returning to the training grind is a mental challenge after the high of the grand final win, the woman widely regarded as the best sevens player in the world said there was one last hurdle to clear.

“Obviously, if that was a normal world series, we’d be finished and on holidays now,” Caslick said.

“But we’ve got one more job to do and we’ve got to keep building towards that.”

Coach Tim Walsh and strength and conditioning boss Tom Carter have long planned for a Paris peak - and given their recent results, the women have put their faith in the program, even if it has meant some sore bodies.

The 12-member Olympic squad will be named next week, with Charlotte Caslick front and centre. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“Madrid was our final (in-season) peak and then the Olympics is when we reach the top of it, so hopefully, if it all goes to plan, which it has so far, we’ll be at our best shape in Paris,” Caslick said.

“I think everyone’s just really looking forward to it. We’ve had a great season and we’ve had a long season but everyone’s just seemed super, super pumped.

“We’ve got like a great group of girls a great family and friends support network as well that support the girls all of the time and all year round and I think we’re excited to get there … and putting out a performance we will be proud of and hopefully that Australia will be proud of and we come away with what we deserve.”

Caslick will be competing at a third Games in Paris and wants her teammates to experience the highs that made Australia fall for sevens and the piggy-tailed playmaker who led them to gold.

Australia won Olympic gold in the Women’s Rugby Sevens in 2016, and Charlotte Caslick wants her current teammates to experience the high. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

“I would love this group to experience what I got to experience in Rio,” Caslick said.

“They’re a great group of girls and I’ve loved leading them. Sharni (Smale) will probably be finishing up with sevens and like I would love for her to go out on an absolute high - she really deserves that.

“This group has achieved so much and been at the top of the game for so long.

“Unfortunately Australians don’t get to watch us play that much. So this is our time to show everyone what we’re capable of and it’s important that we do it on the biggest stage.”

Madi Ashby and Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea will not be available for selection due to injury but the Aussies will have a more than competitive squad on display in Paris.

The next few days will be tough for some squad members though.

“It is hard,” Caslick said. “We can’t take everyone but it’s a squad effort and we always make a big emphasis on the fact that it’s team first.

“What this group in particular has been really good at is putting the team before themselves and we will be going out there to play for not just the 12 on the plane to Paris but the whole squad and those girls like Madi Ashby, Alysia Fakaosilea, at home, that would have been in the team.

“They were two of our best players that won’t be there, so it will be in the back of our minds that we’ll be playing for all of them.”