Australia name new sevens captain as legend Charlotte Caslick steps down

Defending HSBC SVNS Series champions Australia will have a new captain this season with Charlotte Caslick stepping down from the role. Australia Sevens announced on Wednesday that Isabella Nasser will take on that responsibility starting in Dubai this weekend.

Before the season-opening event at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium from November 30 to December 1, the dawn of a new era awaits SVNS Series heavyweights Australia. Veterans Sharni Smale and Dominique du Toit have retired, and Caslick has now made a big call.

Caslick is revered as one of the greatest players in the history of women’s rugby sevens, with the 29-year-old one of five players to win World Rugby’s Women’s Sevens Player of the Year award on multiple occasions. The Aussie also has the most nominations in women’s sevens with four.

With Madison Ashby, Alysia Leafau-Fakosilea, Kaitlin Shave and Sidney Taylor all unavailable for the season-opener in the UAE, Caslick will continue to play a pivotal role in Australia’s quest for more silverware on the SVNS Series, even if she doesn’t have the ‘C’ next to her name.

“The last few seasons captaining this team has been one of the biggest highlights of my career and a true honour,” Caslick said in a statement.

“Moving forward into the new season I’ve decided to step away from this role to allow the girls to grow in this space leading into the Los Angles Olympic Games in 2028.

“I pride myself on always putting the team first and I have always had that expectation on the girls too. I will continue to put my heart and soul into the Aussie Sevens program, this group and the jersey.

“I’ve watched Bella grow from a high school student at Brisbane State High School to an incredible rugby player, person and leader, and cannot wait to support her any way I can throughout the upcoming season.”

There’s something poetic and fairytale-like about Nasser’s appointment as Australia’s newest sevens captain. Both Nasser and Caslick attended Brisbane State High School, with the former idolising the 2016 Olympic gold medallist and the history-making team from those Rio Games.

This writer walked into Rugby Australia’s headquarters in March 2023, and ended up sitting down with a young Nasser in one of the meeting rooms. The Queenslander wasn’t a regular in the starting side at the time, having only recently debuted on the Series in South Africa.

But, what stood out from this 15 minute chat was Nasser’s admiration for Caslick and the 2016 Olympic champions. The future Australia Women’s skipper spoke about still having to “pinch” herself at training, while also pinpoint those Games as a turning point.

“I’m playing with the Sharni (Smale) and the Charlotte Caslick’s. It’s amazing to be part of a profile like this,” Nasser told RugbyPass in 2023. “… I feel like she’s a role model to so many people… she went through a similar path as me… definitely a role model and definitely someone I still look up to,” she said of Caslick.

Nasser has since become a mainstay of the starting side. The 22-year-old put in some strong performances on the Series before earning selection for the Team Australia squad that went to the Paris Olympics – once again speaking with this writer before flying out to Europe.

It’s been a rapid rise but coach Tim Walsh is clearly confident in Nasser’s ability to lead this team. The coach has turned to some younger players for the season-opener at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium, so it’s fitting that one of the nation’s rising stars leads that team.

“It is an honour and privilege to be named captain of the Australian Women Sevens rugby team,” Nasser explained.

“There have been incredible leaders who have gone before me and I only hope to follow in their footsteps and to lead the team to future success.

“Charlotte is and always will be such an immortal legend of the game and it’s an honour to have her in the team.

“As a team and program we are evolving and maturing and we are looking forward to performing this season and leading into the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.”

Australia started their 2023/24 SVNS Series season with Cup Final glory in Dubai and Cape Town. The Aussies got the better of their neighbouring rivals New Zealand in a dramatic decider in the UAE before backing that up a week later in the Western Cape.

They’ll look to do the same this season with Nasser leading the way.

“The program has always been blessed with strong, authentic and pioneering leaders,” coach Tim Walsh added.

“Bella is a very impressive young woman possessing huge leadership potential and I am looking forward to working with Bella and the team to further unlock our potential.

“This squad will get better with age, and the best is yet to come.”