The Wallaroos have been dealt a tough blow ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup, with Charlotte Caslick officially withdrawing from the competition.
Currently recovering from ankle surgery, the three-time Olympian was named in the squad with hopes of coming good midway through Australia's campaign, but the 30-year-old has officially pulled the plug on her chances of appearing in England.
Caslick will be replaced in the squad by Manu'a Moleka, an uncapped centre who will make her debut at the tournament.
Wallaroos star Charlotte Caslick withdraws from Rugby World Cup
Charlotte Caslick is out of the Women's Rugby World Cup, after she was unable to recover in time from a fractured fibula and ruptured syndesmosis.
The former Rugby 7s star took to social media to announce that she would miss the tournament, owing to an extended recovery period.
"In sport sometimes the toughest opponent is time," Caslick wrote on an Instagram post.
"I am sadddddd and disappointed to share that I won’t be joining the girls in England for the RWC. Four weeks ago I fractured my fibula and ruptured my syndesmosis, we set our sights on pushing a 10–12 week recovery into 6, but we decided on Friday it’s best for myself and the team to make the call now as I won’t be available for the opening rounds.
"I’m proud of the challenge I took on converting to 15s and I feel like I grew not only on the field as a footy player but off it as well. I even picked up a whole new group of best friends who are about to fly over and take on the world.
"I couldn’t be more proud to be able to call myself a wallaroo and I’ll be cheering the girls on from home loudly over the next month. Thank you to everyone who supported me during the last 6 months and continues to support me now through my rehab journey.
"I’ll keep working hard and get my ankle right as soon as I can. Some endings aren’t fair but they still come."
In Caslick's stead, rising talent Manu'a Moleka will be added to the team, a player that head coach Jo Yapp is eager to bring into the fold.
"We're really fortunate and excited that Manu'a can join us for the World Cup," Yapp said.
"Manu'a has been part of the touring squad since the start of the international Test season and thoroughly deserves her opportunity to join us."
The Wallaroos' RWC campaign will begin on August 23, when they take on Samoa at 9 p.m. AEST.