Charlotte Caslick has rated Australia’s pulsating victory in Perth as one of the peak moments of her stellar career in rugby sevens.
The 28-26 victory over arch rivals New Zealand in Sunday night’s final was more like a football shootout with the two sides going try for try.
It was a spectacle in every sense for a packed stadium of 20,000-plus in Perth as the climax to the HSBC SVNS.
Caslick has held her standard as a peerless player since her 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal when she was a youngster in pigtails.
Against the Kiwis on Sunday, the scores were locked at 14-all entering the second half when Caslick produced her big-moment magic.
Firstly, there was the calmness to not rush a penalty tap on Australia’s own quarter. The team got in position for a set play. Ultimately, the ball ended with Caslick. She danced and teased the defence with the ball in two hands before taking off.
She ran more than 80m to score the go-ahead try for 21-14. It was the 184th try of her storied World Series career. It was one of the most important.
“It’s been a while since I did one of those and I think I had a winger chasing me too,” Caslick said with a broad smile.
“I think this tournament win is up there in my top two or three. It was one of the best games of rugby I’ve been a part of and it was against NZ in a final.
“Winning at home and being able to put out a performance like that in front of Australian fans who are so loyal to us is a great feeling.”
The Australians had not won a World Series tournament on home soil since 2018 in Sydney so that breakthrough drove the whole squad.
You often find out more about yourself or your team when under pressure which says a lot about what the sevens girls discovered in Perth.
Injuries to star winger Maddi Levi (broken thumb) and Faith Nathan (head knock) in Saturday night’s quarter-final win over Japan meant the home side had to find a way to get past Canada and NZ in Sunday’s sudden-death semi-final and final.
In adversity, the Aussies uncovered two rising aces and an experienced performer back to her best.
Replacements Kahli Henwood and Heidi Dennis, two more talents off Queensland’s sevens production line, grabbed their chances in the starting side for those games.
Demi Hayes, her 2024 Paris Olympics bid cruelly ruined by a serious knee injury, was all calm poise and decisive tackling.
Henwood was supreme in the air at kick-offs and re-starts. She turned one such clean catch into a 55m gallop and a pop pass to Hayes for the final try to finish off Canada.
Dennis was named Player of the Final. She scored a late try backing up a Teagan Levi break but her first was even better.
She showed wonderful balance to stay upright after bumping and surging through a Kiwi tackler to score Australia’s first try to tie NZ at 7-all.
The Australians led 14-7 and 21-14 from there only to have the Kiwis level at 14-all and 21-all.
Australian captain Bella Nasser said winning the first World Series trophy on home soil since 2018 made it a sweet victory.
She gave special credit to Henwood and Dennis, the pair who came into the starting side for the injured Levi and Nathan.
"It's such an awesome feeling to win at home and with family and friends in the stands," said Nasser, who had dad Brendan, a former Wallaby, cheering her on.
"Kahli was fantastic in the semi-final so to back it up in the final showed how far she has come.
"Heidi was Player of the Final. She's got pace as you saw for her try, mongrel and just an all-round game. She's now got the confidence."
Nasser praised Caslick for her class in the big moments, just as she's did when idolising her as a young teen at the school they share, Brisbane State High.
"She's the Queen, the empress of women’s sevens worldwide. It's so impressive to still see her leading the way and giving us all something to aspire to," Nasser said.
Off the field, the girls had kicked a goal as well in tournament week with major sponsors ISPS HANDA extending their partnership wth one of Australia's most successful national women's teams.
