In brief:
The Australian girls’s rugby sevens crew for the Paris Olympics has been introduced.
Captain Charlotte Caslick, and Sharni Smale will head to their third Video games.
What’s subsequent?
Rugby sevens kicks off in Paris on July 24, two days earlier than the opening ceremony.
“Non, je ne regrette rien.”
Edith Piaf’s traditional French tune from 1960, translated as ‘No, I don’t remorse something’, is not one normally related to sporting triumph.
However the Australian girls’s rugby sevens crew has adopted it as its anthem for the Paris Olympics.
“It is the no remorse marketing campaign, so we wish to be all in,” coach Tim Walsh mentioned.
“We wish to put together so effectively that regardless of the result, regardless of the consequence, that we’re strolling off that discipline with none remorse.”
After profitable gold within the sport’s Olympic debut in Rio 2016, the Australian girls stumbled in Tokyo, dropping within the quarterfinals.
They’ve roared again to type since then, and final month they claimed the World Collection title, after profitable the ultimate leg in Madrid, together with a statement-making semifinal win over fellow gold medal favorite New Zealand.
The squad for Paris options Rio gold medallists Charlotte Caslick and Sharni Smale, in addition to sisters Teagan and Maddison Levi, with a complete of 5 debutants.
And the excessive expectations that include being on prime of the world are welcomed.
“Should you’re anticipated to win, it means you have been profitable, and that is what we try to do,” Walsh mentioned.
“We now have acquired some actually good outcomes over the previous few years in profitable World Cups and Comm Video games, and the World Collection a few instances, so we’re actually happy with that.
“However it’s concerning the future, it is concerning the Olympics, however it definitely offers you an instilled confidence that you know the way to win.”
It is a sentiment shared by captain Caslick.
“We all know we’re getting in with New Zealand as the highest two that individuals are taking a look at as favourites,” she mentioned.
“We’re excited and we hope that we get to place out efficiency and I believe this group simply actually deserves to do effectively after the previous few years.
“I believe they’re greater than able to it.”
ABC Sport will likely be reside running a blog daily of the Paris Olympics from July 27
Assistant coach Barton serving to pull the strings
Emilee Barton (née Cherry) was a part of the champion crew in Rio and was amongst the very best gamers on the planet throughout her enjoying profession.
She retired after having two youngsters and joined the crew as an assistant coach in 2022.
“It was at all times one thing that I used to be very involved in,” Barton mentioned.
“I’ve acquired a educating background and love having the ability to be part of this group nonetheless and proceed to develop the sport.”
Walsh coached Barton all through her profession and knew he wished to maintain her concerned within the sport.
“You have a look at the wealth of expertise that Emilee has as a participant in the way in which that she broke aside a sport and she or he structured the sport and the way in which she dealt with strain, the way in which that she was composed on the sector,” Walsh mentioned.
“I wished to try to improve that.
“After which it brings range to our program, but in addition not dropping her out of the sport.
“She sees issues differently to what I do after which she brings this actually profitable world’s finest participant perception into the crew.”
The gamers agree.
“She’s such an incredible inspiration, understanding her that she received the Olympics in 2016,” Sariah Paki mentioned.
“It is so good to look as much as in our crew as particularly as a coach to assist assist us, as a result of she is aware of what we’re going by means of every step of the way in which.”
“She’s the world’s finest centre in rugby sevens,” Religion Nathan added.
“I believe simply going to her and [getting] data like how do I turn into higher analysing groups.”
Solely 9 per cent of head coaches in high-performance sport in Australia are girls.
Barton was the primary feminine to hitch the Australian girls’s sevens teaching set-up and is part of the AIS’ Gen32 program, which goals to develop coaches on the pathway to Brisbane 2032.
“Any high-performance sports activities setting is admittedly robust, significantly within the sevens discipline, we journey lots, having a extremely younger household that places numerous pressure on my assist community,” Barton mentioned.
“However I am so fortunate to have such a supportive husband and household. And it is fairly unbelievable to have these now younger women trying as much as position fashions.
“And to be coming into this setting and seeing simply how laborious they work and simply such lovely folks as effectively to be round, I believe it is very fortunate that we get to be immersed, not simply myself, however my household as effectively, on this setting.”
Whereas Barton is not sure of her long-term teaching targets, for the second, Paris is the precedence.
“[I’ll be] imparting my little phrases of knowledge on these gamers, having the ability to carry out beneath strain is a extremely massive focus of ours,” she mentioned.
“I’ve simply acquired such confidence in them and perception in them. And I am simply making an attempt to assist them consider that as effectively to have the ability to then go carry out in Paris.”
