Caslick’s World Cup dream dashed as star convert ruled out with injury

The Wallaroos have received a major blow for their Rugby World Cup campaign with Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Caslick ruled out of the tournament with injury.

The Australian women’s squad depart for England on Monday morning but they’ll be without star sevens convert Caslick, who was racing the clock to overcome an ankle injury she suffered against the Black Ferns in July.

Caslick, who shifted from the Australians’ sevens team this year to play XVs full-time in the hope of making the World Cup squad, had surgery on syndesmosis injury in mid-July.

The injury usually takes 10-12 weeks to heal, but there was hope that Caslick would be able to fast-track her recovery to play in some of the Wallaroos’ World Cup pool games, which start on August 23. The 30-year-old was named in the squad last week but it became clear to medical staff late in the week that Caslick would not be fully fit until the quarter-finals, which start on September 13.

Given the Wallaroos play three pool games against Samoa, USA and England before that – and need to win two to progress to the playoffs – coach Jo Yapp made the difficult call to scratch Caslick and call in 18-year-old Manua Moleka.

Speaking to this masthead, Yapp did not completely rule out the possibility of Caslick potentially returning to play a role in the World Cup later on as an injury replacement post recovery.

“I obviously really, really feel for Charlotte, because her commitment to the 15s, as I’ve said before, I’ve been really impressed with,” Yapp said.

“It was a real brave decision, and she’s absolutely wholeheartedly thrown herself into it...

“As it stands, yes, she’s now not in the 32 that’s travelling, but the conversation I’ve had with her is the chance of us getting through three games with everybody there is (unlikely), for any team to do that.

“We’re going to end up probably pulling players out, and for her to remain on her accelerated return, getting support at RA, I genuinely think there will probably be, at some point, an opportunity to bring her out later in the tournament.”

“So it’s definitely not the end of her opportunity in the World Cup, but also now she can buckle down, she can focus on her rehab here with the attention she needs, which is, like, one-to-one every day to give herself the best shot of now coming in later on.”

Moleka is the younger sister of Faitala Moleka, and was a star sevens player from Penrith who emerged for the Brumbies in Super W this year.

There remains some chance Caslick could join the squad later at the World Cup as an injury replacement, but only if a spot opens up due to a tournament-ending injury to someone else in the squad.

Speaking to media last week before the decision was made, Caslick said she was being realistic about her chances.

“There are some days where I’m a little bit sad, but I’m trying to maintain a good headspace,” she said.

Caslick was hoping to add some XVs World Cup silverware to her overflowing cabinet of sevens achievements, which includes gold medals from the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the Sevens World Cup. She debuted against Fiji in Suva in May and played five Tests for the Wallaroos.

Due to return to the Australian sevens program after the World Cup, Caslick said she’d learned a great deal in XVs.

“It’s been great,” Caslick told reporters on Wednesday.

“It’s been super challenging at times, but I’ve really enjoyed it. Not that I was hesitant, [but] it’s always hard doing something that’s out of your comfort zone.

“When you’re in an environment so long, and Sevens has always sort of been home for me, it was challenging and hard to do something new.

“But I’m really proud of myself. I really want to get to this Rugby World Cup. And at this stage, I hope I do. But if not, I’ve still made amazing friends and memories. I’m proud of myself, no matter what.”