Hong Kong Sevens interview with Cam Clark

JAC Radio Sport Episode Four

Nic Darveniza speaks with Man of the Match v Canada, Lewis Holland.

Sydney Sevens Interview w/ Lewis Holland

Nic Darveniza speaks with Australian forward Tom Cusack following Australia's 17-all draw with New Zealand at the 2016 Sydney Sevens.

Green and Gold Rugby interviews Tom Cusack

Nic Darveniza interviews Australian veteran James 'Chucky' Stannard following Australia's extra time victory against England.

Green and Gold Rugby interviews James Stannard at the Sydney Sevens

Green and Gold Rugby interviews Quade Cooper

Nic Darveniza interviews Tom Lucas at the Sydney Sevens

Green and Gold Rugby interviews Tom Lucas

Con Foley walks Nic Darveniza through the preparations for Hong Kong's biggest Rugby tournament.

Con Foley interview Hong Kong Sevens

Felicity Bennetts: “I’ve got a nine-year-old niece who absolutely adores Charlotte.
“She never wanted to play Rugby until she watched Charlotte play. You could talk to her and she’d talk about Charlotte all day long.
“She stays up and watches the games on Fox, and um definitely had a big impact on my niece and a lot of, um, I think, very inspiring to a lot of young girls around the world and in Australia.
Liz Patu: “The girls are, I’m pretty sure, I’m inspired by her! Like with my fitness, I’ll be like “Yeah I want to be like Charlotte Caslick! [laughs]”
Play audio of Charlotte – 20 seconds
Just last week, at 21 years of age, Charlotte Caslick was named one of the Top Seven female rugby players on the planet – just like last year, and the year before that as well.
In the early hours of the 30th of May, Charlotte helped lift her Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens team to this nation’s first ever World Championship.
With Rugby Sevens’ debut in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games just weeks away, Charlotte’s impressive form has helped carry Australia to overwhelming Gold Medal Favouritism.
Her name will one day deservingly sit alongside Stephanie Rice, Torah Bright and Cathy Freeman as Australian modern-day Olympic heroes, but right now only a few dedicated fans might know it.
One of those is her father Don, a man who has undoubtedly helped chart the course for Charlotte’s Olympic Dreams - and many of her team-mate’s as well.
Don Caslick: “As a kid she was always pretty talented.
“She represented Queensland in Hockey, Athletics – so she was a track runner, 200, 400, 800m track runner, and she played Touch Football as well. Obviously Touch Football is where her love came and that transferred to Sevens.
Sione Fukofuka: “So, she would score five or six tries in a game and then you’d ask her how she went and she’d just shrug her shoulders and go, “no worries”
That’s the voice of Sione Fukofuka, now the Head Coach of the Queensland Women’s Rugby team. Back then, he was Charlotte’s Brisbane State High School touch football coach.
Sione Fukofuka: “I coached the Opens, which is an U19s team. She had her first game in my team when she was just 13, and then played in that team for four years I think? Five years?
“And then from 14 onwards she got picked in the Australian U20s, and then the Australian Opens when she was in Grade 12.
“Anyone who gets picked at that level is pretty special.”
It was a difficult position for Charlotte to be in. While just 17, she’d already accomplished the career goals of an athlete far beyond her own age. There was no challenge left for her in Touch Football.
At around the same time, the Australian Rugby Union – the sport’s governing body in Australia – began exploring new avenues of talent identification – namely, the recruitment of incredibly skilled young touch football players to cross over, for a shot at the Olympic Games.
Charlotte Caslick was a name of the top of their list.
But first, Charlotte needed a tournament to showcase her ability in – as well as a team to play with.