Charlotte Caslick, the queen of rugby sevens, rated Australia’s pulsating victory in Perth as one of the peak moments of her stellar career.
The 28-26 victory over arch rivals New Zealand in Sunday night’s final was more like an exhilarating 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.
The Australians had not won a World Series tournament on home soil since 2018 in Sydney so that breakthrough drove the whole squad.
Caslick was part of that 2018 team and the two-time World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year is still delivering.
The teams were locked at 14-all at half-time when Caslick scored the 184th try of her storied World Series career. It was one of the most important.
First 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’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 led 14-7 and 21-14 only to have the Kiwis level at 14-all and 21-all.
It took another classic long-range 90m try to get ahead. This time, Teagan Levi dashed clear but had the foresight to look for support as she closed on the NZ tryline. She found Dennis out wide for the try and then landed the key conversion to create a seven-point buffer. The Kiwis had a final try in them but not the conversion to fall just short.
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 Kahli Henwood and Heidi Dennis, the pair who came into the starting side for injured speedsters Maddi Levi (broken thumb) and Faith Nathan (head knock).
“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. Now, she has the confidence.”
“It was wonderful to show the depth that keeps being developed in sevens in Australia.”
It was a perfect partnership moment. Major sponsors ISPS HANDA announced in the lead-up to the Perth tournament that they would continue to back the ground-breaking women’s team.
Nasser praised Caslick for her class in the big moments, especially her solo try.
“She’s the Queen, the empress of sevens rugby worldwide. It’s so impressive to still see her leading the way and giving us all something to aspire to,” Nasser said.
