'I know it's going to be challenging': Clock ticking on injured superstar's gutsy Rugby World Cup bid

Charlotte Caslick admits she is facing an uphill battle to play at the 2025 Rugby World Cup and won't be at her electric best if she does get on the field.

But the Olympic gold medallist has never lacked grit and determination and is vowing to do everything in her power to join her Wallaroos teammates in England.

The 30-year-old sevens legend was just getting the hang of the 15-a-side game in Wellington last month, finding her home at outside centre against the world champion Black Ferns.

Watch every match of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, streaming live and on-demand on Stan Sport with Wallaroos matches also live on the 9Network and 9Now

But with time almost up in the 37-12 loss, Caslick cruelly went down with an ankle syndesmosis injury.

She immediately knew it wasn't good but Caslick has attacked her rehabilitation with vigour, refusing to let her World Cup dream die.

Despite still being in a moon boot, the Queenslander was on Monday named in Australia's World Cup squad and is targeting the crucial pool game against the United States on August 31 (AEST) for her playing return.

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"I get out of the boot in a few days," Caslick told Wide World of Sports on Wednesday.

"I've got some testing to do tomorrow, but hopefully running sometime next week.

"I'm hoping that I can get back to close to my best in a short period of time, but I know it's going to be challenging. I'm hoping that by the end of next week we'll have a good gauge on where it's at.

But at this stage, my range is getting really good in my ankle and all of those indicators to be able to let me run again. So, yeah, hopefully, fingers crossed."

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Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu is also nursing an ankle injury and is also hoping to return against the United States.

Australia kick off their campaign against Samoa on August 23.

"It's not just the ankle itself, it's reconditioning, my whole right leg, which when you're not weight-bearing for such a long time, can lose some of that condition," she said.

"So that's the priority in the next week."

Caslick is one of only two sevens players to make the cut in Jo Yapp's 32-strong squad, along with rising playmaker Tia Hinds.

Nine sevens stars put their hands up in December, including 2024 world player of the year Maddison Levi.

But Levi withdrew from the Wallaroos picture in April with her manager Mat Rogers fearing she would be "set up to fail" with such a short run-in to the flagship tournament.

"Obviously I think she would have been a huge asset to the group, like we've all seen what she can do in a sevens field," Caslick told WWOS, while expressing confidence in Australia's current wingers.

"But I guess the minor details of what Maya (Stewart) and Desi (Miller) have to do is really important too and I feel like Maddi just didn't think she had enough time to learn all of that, in this short period of time.

"Obviously we want the best players out there and Maddi's proven that she's an amazing rugby player who, hopefully moving forward, we can have within the Wallaroos as much as possible."

WALLAROOS 2025 WORLD CUP SQUAD (name, age, club, junior club, caps)

• Katalina Amosa (23, ACT Brumbies, Southern Districts, 6 caps)*
• Bree-Anna Browne (28, Queensland Reds, Brothers Rugby, 13 caps)
• Charlotte Caslick (30, Queensland Reds, Wests Bulldogs, 5 caps)*
• Emily Chancellor (33, NSW Waratahs, Sydney University, 30 caps)
• Annabelle Codey (28, NSW Waratahs, Easts Brisbane, 7 caps)*
• Lori Cramer (32, Queensland Reds, University of Queensland, 30 caps)
• Piper Duck (24, NSW Waratahs, Tumut Bullettes, 18 caps)
• Waiaria Ellis (17, NSW Waratahs, Blacktown Scorpions, 3 caps)*
• Ashley Fernandez (22, ACT Brumbies, Uni-North Owls, 4 caps)*
• Georgina Friedrichs (30, NSW Waratahs, Wests Bulldogs, 34 caps)
• Caitlyn Halse (18, NSW Waratahs, Camden Rams, 11 caps)*
• Tia Hinds (22, ACT Brumbies, Randwick, 6 caps)*
• Brianna Hoy (25, NSW Waratahs, Coffs Harbour Snappers, 8 caps)*
• Asoiva Karpani (29, Queensland Reds, Southern Suburbs, 37 caps)
• Lydia Kavoa (31, ACT Brumbies, Eastern Suburbs, 9 caps)*
• Kaitlan Leaney (24, NSW Waratahs, SCU Marlins, 31 caps)
• Michaela Leonard (30, Western Force, Tuggeranong Vikings, 38 caps)
• Ashley Marsters (31, Western Force, Boroondara, 41 caps)
• Desiree Miller (23, NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs, 19 caps)*
• Faitala Moleka (20, ACT Brumbies, Blacktown Scorpions, 21 caps)*
• Layne Morgan (26, Queensland Reds, Merewether Carlton, 36 caps)
• Tania Naden (33, ACT Brumbies, Uni-North Owls, 25 caps)
• Bridie O'Gorman (26, NSW Waratahs, Sydney University, 33 caps)
• Siokapesi Palu (28, ACT Brumbies, Uni-North Owls, 21 caps)
• Faliki Pohiva (23, NSW Waratahs, Blacktown Scorpions, 4 caps)*
• Trilleen Pomare (32, Western Force, Wanneroo, 40 caps)
• Cecilia Smith (31, Western Force, Leeton Dianas, 24 caps)
• Maya Stewart (25, NSW Waratahs, Nelson Bay Gropers, 18 caps)
• Adiana Talakai (26, NSW Waratahs, Sydney University, 18 caps)
• Tabua Tuinakauvadra (22, ACT Brumbies, Orange Emus, 18 caps)*
• Caitlin Urwin (25, Queensland Reds, Gympie Hammers, uncapped)**
• Samantha Wood (21, Western Force, Kalamunda Rugby, 7 caps)*

*denotes World Cup debutant

**denotes uncapped and World Cup debutant

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2025

• Saturday, August 23: Wallaroos v Samoa, Salford Community Stadium, Manchester - 9pm AEST
• Sunday, August 31: Wallaroos v USA at York Community Stadium, York - 4.30am AEST
• Sunday, September 7: Wallaroos v England at Brighton and Hove Stadium, Brighton and Hove - 2am AEST