The gold standard: Australian rugby star Charlotte Caslick in Sydney Sevens heaven

Maddi and Teagan Levi, the inseparable sisters chased by multiple clubs across three different codes who signed full-time contracts with Rugby Australia's sevens program to leave AFLW and NRLW in their wake - for now.

Bienne Terita scored two tries in her Test debut for the Wallaroos against New Zealand last year, in a match which doubled as her first game of XVs in three years.

Sharni Williams is an Olympic gold medal-winning veteran equally adept in sevens and XVs, whose unmistakeable rainbow headgear transcends her impact on the football field.

Faith Nathan is a live wire without an off switch, a near faultless finisher with speed that is the envy of any defender in pursuit.

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Then there is Caslick herself: the best sevens player in the world. But she won't tell you that. To find out what's on the back of her trading card, we go to Australian women's coach Tim Walsh.

"She'd be the No. 1 recruit [for a rival code]. She's an international star. She's articulate, she's ruthless in the way she plays, and she has got experience," Walsh said.

"Whether it be NRLW, XVs, AFL, she came from the track originally. She has shaped women's contact sport. She's been a huge catalyst in changing perceptions and also the growth of all the other codes."

World Rugby's reigning player of the year has won all the game has to offer, ticking off Olympic gold, Commonwealth Games gold, the sevens World Cup, and the World Rugby Sevens Series.

As the ink dries on a new four-year deal, Caslick wants to do it all again. Because "if you want to compete in the world's best sport, this is where you need to be".

At Moore Park's $828 million Sydney Football Stadium, the home of this week's Sydney Sevens.

"We're the grand prix of the contact sport game," Walsh said.

"We have an advantage around travelling the world, we have an elite program, we compete at the Olympics and we're attracting the best athletes. It is the top gun of women's sport, but it isn't for everyone. It's physically and mentally demanding."

Which is why Walsh wants the gold standard.

Australia's sevens program has enjoyed something of a renaissance following a forgettable return at the Tokyo Olympics. Both women's and men's programs won world series titles last year. Walsh's side enter the Sydney leg second on this year's table behind New Zealand, while the Australian men sit seventh.

It goes without saying Caslick is desperate for success in Sydney on the road to Paris. For the moment, the lure of a Wallaroos Test cap can wait.

"I'm sure the group of girls we have are really committed to our Olympic goal. We speak a lot about being the best of the best," Caslick said.

"This program we're in is hard work but it requires the elite of all female athletes. The attributes they have to bring is probably different to what's required in some other codes. I think they know here they're always going to be challenged and we offer something other sports can't offer right now.

"Obviously I'm set with sevens until Paris Olympics, that's a key goal of mine to be a three-time Olympian and bring home a gold medal. The transition that Bienne and Sharni made to XVs added so much value to them.

"I'm sure with Eddie Jones coming back on board [as Wallabies coach while overseeing the Wallaroos program], that will be something I look into, but for us, I'm still really focused on our Olympic campaign."

The next step comes in Sydney as the world series returns to Moore Park on Friday for the first time since 2018. That weekend, Australia swept both titles.

"I was 13th player and I got to experience all of that from the ground. Honestly, that was probably one of the highlights of my entire career and I wasn't even playing," Australian co-captain Demi Hayes said.

"There's nothing better than playing at home in front of a crowd with that little bit of pressure. Our team really thrives under pressure. A lot of our girls love having the party in the stands while they're playing, all the noise. There's nothing better than having this kind of tournament at home in preparation for Paris."

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