Latest news with #SuperRugbyWomen
Perth Now
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
How Wallaroo saved Cup hopes after sevens 'shake up'
Two years ago, Lori Cramer caught herself wondering how she was going to keep up with the Wallaroos' influx of rugby sevens talent. The backline veteran had the 2025 World Cup, which begins in less than a month in England, circled on her calendar. "I was thinking, 'it's coming'," the 32-year-old said ahead of Saturday's Test against Wales in Brisbane. "With the sevens girls coming in, everyone knew it would shake things up a little bit. "It was like, 'Okay, shit; there's about to be a bunch of girls that are rapid and with good skills'. "I'm a bit older ... whether I can match them physically and with pace, or maybe use my wisdom and smarts. "It's about adapting and figuring out how you can become indispensable. "For me, that's my experience - comms and a bit of my leadership as well." Cramer will provide backline cover in her 30th Test, coming off the bench at Ballymore. "You have to put your ego aside; you want to send your best fighters to the fight," she said. "It's not about me, it's about the Wallaroos. So if I'm the best person for the job on the day, then let's go." The influx hasn't reached the heights it threatened to when nine sevens stars were pencilled in for Super Rugby Women's opening round. Tia Hinds will wear the No.10 on Saturday while sevens great Charlotte Caslick (ankle) is hoping to be fit for Australia's second Cup game in late August. Fellow Olympian Bienne Terita (hamstring) was in calculations but won't be fit for the England showpiece while Levi sisters Madison and Teagan withdrew their interest. Wins against Fiji and USA have been offset by losses to heavyweights Canada and New Zealand this season. Confident progress has been made, Australia - boasting a 7-1 head-to-head against Wales - can prove it in their final two opportunities on home soil. Cramer rates Welsh flyhalf Lleucu George the "best boot in women's rugby ... an absolute freak" and expects a thorough examination. "We're hitting our straps when we need to be and the games against Wales can always get a bit fiery," Cramer said. "Everyone's building for something bigger, but we want to win these Test matches as well." Emily Chancellor will captain Australia with regular skipper Siokapesi Palu (foot) injured, while Ashley Marsters will become the first Wallaroo to play 40 Tests.
The Age
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Sevens won't go into 15 for try-machine Levi ahead of World Cup
Australian sevens star Maddi Levi will not play for the Wallaroos at the World Cup later this year after the prolific try-scorer withdrew from selection consideration. On the day she named sevens converts Charlotte Caslick and Tia Hinds to make their starting debuts against New Zealand on Saturday, Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp revealed Levi and other sevens stars, including Teagan Levi and Bella Nasser, had made themselves unavailable for the national 15-a-side team. Earlier in the year, nine sevens players elected to have a crack at making the Wallaroos' squad for August's World Cup, which entailed juggling a few games in Super Rugby Women with duties on the World Sevens Series. Caslick, Hinds and Bienne Terita then chose not to return to the sevens circuit to keep pushing for the World Cup. Maddi Levi didn't play for the Reds due to a hand injury, but given her standing as the world's best women's sevens player, the Wallaroos were still planning for her to be involved in Tests this month ahead of the World Cup. But Levi's manager, Mat Rogers, last month expressed reservation s about the switch, and suggested it would increase 'animosity' from the 15s players towards the sevens players. 'I just don't think it's an appropriate step to take now,' Rogers said on Stan Sport's Inside Line program. 'I'm speaking from Maddi's perspective purely out of care for her. I don't want her to be set up to fail, and I think that's what's happening if they pursue it further this year. 'I don't think she can [make the transition] in the time. She's not going to have enough game time. It's just unfair on her, and it's unfair on the squad to throw her in there and expect her to be a world-beater that she is in sevens. It's too much pressure.' Yapp revealed on Thursday that the Levi sisters, Nasser, Kahli Henwood and Sariah Paki, had elected to take a break after the sevens season. Demi Hayes is also out after suffering another knee injury.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sevens won't go into 15 for try-machine Levi ahead of World Cup
Australian sevens star Maddi Levi will not play for the Wallaroos at the World Cup later this year after the prolific try-scorer withdrew from selection consideration. On the day she named sevens converts Charlotte Caslick and Tia Hinds to make their starting debuts against New Zealand on Saturday, Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp revealed Levi and other sevens stars, including Teagan Levi and Bella Nasser, had made themselves unavailable for the national 15-a-side team. Earlier in the year, nine sevens players elected to have a crack at making the Wallaroos' squad for August's World Cup, which entailed juggling a few games in Super Rugby Women with duties on the World Sevens Series. Caslick, Hinds and Bienne Terita then chose not to return to the sevens circuit to keep pushing for the World Cup. Maddi Levi didn't play for the Reds due to a hand injury, but given her standing as the world's best women's sevens player, the Wallaroos were still planning for her to be involved in Tests this month ahead of the World Cup. But Levi's manager, Mat Rogers, last month expressed reservation s about the switch, and suggested it would increase 'animosity' from the 15s players towards the sevens players. 'I just don't think it's an appropriate step to take now,' Rogers said on Stan Sport's Inside Line program. 'I'm speaking from Maddi's perspective purely out of care for her. I don't want her to be set up to fail, and I think that's what's happening if they pursue it further this year. 'I don't think she can [make the transition] in the time. She's not going to have enough game time. It's just unfair on her, and it's unfair on the squad to throw her in there and expect her to be a world-beater that she is in sevens. It's too much pressure.' Yapp revealed on Thursday that the Levi sisters, Nasser, Kahli Henwood and Sariah Paki, had elected to take a break after the sevens season. Demi Hayes is also out after suffering another knee injury.
News.com.au
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Sevens star Charlotte Caslick enjoying being out of her ‘comfort zone' with the Wallaroos
Sevens star Charlotte Caslick says playing in this year's Women's Rugby World Cup in England would be an 'amazing experience' as she prepares for her expected Wallaroos debut on Saturday. An Olympic Games gold medallist, Caslick has been named on Australia's bench for the clash against Fijiana in Suva. 'I am really proud of myself,' she said. 'Being 30 years old and putting myself in a new environment, and out of your comfort zone, is always challenging. 'The way that I've gone about it was a little bit different to the other sevens girls, and I did a lot of it on my own.' Caslick – who can be used at fullback, on the wing or as a fly half – pulled out of the second half of the World Series Sevens tour this year and played for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby Women's competition. 'It's been a little bit daunting at times, but I've been so well welcomed into the groups that I've joined, so I really haven't felt out of place at all, which is a credit to both the (Reds and Wallaroos) program,' she said. 'Watching the 15-a-side game grow and develop, I was at a point in my career where I was really up for a challenge and something new. 'I love rugby, so I wanted to put my best foot forward to be a part of this squad. A rugby World Cup would be an amazing experience.' Caslick said she would eventually return to sevens and hoped to play both formats of the sport as 'much as possible'. 'It's super important that the sevens girls do open their minds up to being involved in this (Wallaroos) program because ultimately it just makes them better footy players and Australian rugby stronger,' she said. Your first 23 for ’25 🦘 🆚 Fiji ðŸ�Ÿï¸� HFC Bank Stadium, Suva ðŸ•' Saturday 3 May | 3:00PM AEST ðŸ'° @StanSportAU #Wallaroos — Wallaroos (@WallaroosRugby) May 1, 2025 National coach Jo Yapp said the likes of Caslick and fellow sevens star Tia Hinds, who is also set to make her Wallaroos debut on Saturday, were creating more depth in Australia's talent pool. 'The energy they've brought in and how the girls have embraced them … it's genuinely a great opportunity,' Yapp said. 'Charlotte's been behind the laptop. She's really wanting to develop her game and this is really exciting.' Caslick said was 'learning a lot' in 'every single session'. 'Now that I'm a bit out of my comfort zone, I feel like everyone's doing the best they can to prepare me and help me get comfortable with my role,' she said. 'It's been challenging. There's a lot of new language to learn and a lot of information coming my way, but … the challenge is great. 'As a rugby player, I'm developing.'
Perth Now
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Wallaroos' big selection call as Caslick settles in
Wallaroos flyhalf Arabella McKenzie has been left out of the squad to face Fiji, as sevens convert Charlotte Caslick ticks all the boxes ahead of a potential Test debut. Coach Jo Yapp reduced the 40-player squad by 10 on Monday, ahead of the side's Test against Fijiana on Saturday in Suva. Olympic gold medallist Caslick was among those retained, but NSW Waratahs playmaker McKenzie was a notable omission. Faitala Moleka, Lori Cramer and Tia Hinds, a sevens teammate of Caslick, will instead jostle for the No.10 jersey, while Caslick eyes a potential start at fullback or off the bench. Bienne Terita is the third sevens talent in the squad, an initiative that's led to suggestions of disharmony as the program looks to bolster itself ahead of this year's World Cup in England. But veteran back-rower Emily Chancellor dismissed any notion of a rift, heaping praise on the "newcomers" after their impressive starts to the Canberra training camp. "Often you get fear and nervousness, which comes out in looser rugby, or they go within their shells," she said. "But they've come in with a desire to be a part of it and felt involved. "I'm blown away by their quality ... taking on board the environment, being sponges to the 15s game. "Charlotte has been so open and keen to learn, asking questions, making mistakes, changing the behaviours. "All three of those sevens girls have really committed to being part of this squad and there isn't any divide, nothing to be worried or talked about. "They're here to be 15s players and put their best foot forward, like everyone else." Chancellor said she hadn't discussed McKenzie's omission with Yapp but that, with seven Tests before their World Cup opener, it didn't mean the door had been closed on her. The Wallaroos finished 2024 in winning form in South Africa, but lost six of their first seven games of the year, including by 48 and 64 points to New Zealand. Currently ranked No.6 in the world, the Australians have only reached the semi-finals once in seven World Cup campaigns. "Often, if we've had time away from this international environment, it feels like we have to start again," Chancellor said of the side's intent to improve this year. "This time there's been conversation about how we're starting where we left off." Katalina Amosa, Ruby Anderson, Ashley Fernandez, Martha Fua, Manu'a Moleka and Faliki Pohiva are the other uncapped players in the squad. Star centre Georgina Friedrichs will have her run of 29 consecutive Test appearances ended by a finger injury suffered in the Super Rugby Women's decider.
