‘Always first’: Aussie rushes to delete Paris nightclub photo

An Aussie Rugby Sevens star has deleted a controversial message on a nightclub photo hours after her heart was broken twice.

Australian rugby sevens star Charlotte Caslick has posted a cryptic message on Instagram after an explosive fall out to Australia’s heartbreaking Rugby Sevens flop.

The Aussie captain sparked drama in Paris after rushing to delete an Instagram post that showed her in a Paris nightclub just hours after her team had its heart broken in a bronze-medal match loss to the United States.

Caslick’s team were emotionally crushed twice in three hours after being upset by Canada in the earlier semi-final, having been undefeated until that stage of the tournament.

Aussie players were visibly distressed and wept openly on the field after losing the bronze medal game on the back of a try to the USA on the final siren.

Every athlete handles defeat differently — and it seems Caslick’s grief took her to Paris’ party scene.

Charlotte Caslick's now deleted nightclub post

Caslick posted an image to her Instagram stories that was quickly deleted, showing her partying in a Paris nightclub surrounded by a group of men accompanied by the caption “4th on it but always 1st off it”.

It was a controversial look in the wake of the team’s fourth-placed finish on the field which left many in tears and was well below expectations.

Earlier after the team’s emotions spilled over following losses to Canada and the US, Caslick posted: “Heartbroken and real f***ing sorry but always proud to represent Australia with these girls.”

Caslick, like her the rest of the team, cut a broken figure after the loss.

“It sucks but we gave it everything. We played our hearts out and I think that’s the beauty of Sevens and sport, that’s why we play it,” Caslick said.

“It’s a game of moments and there’s a couple of things we’d like to take back but we can’t.

“The first game we played Canada back into the game. To their credit they fought to the end and the USA did the same.

“We more than anyone wanted to come home with a medal. To have this feeling we’re disappointed.”

Caslick took to social media shortly after the loss as she re-posted a message from the team where she wrote alongside it: “We’re sorry” with a teary eyed emoji.

Caslick after the loss to the USA. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)

Charlotte Caslick's post on social media

In the face of the attention her post has received, Caslick posted a cryptic photo to her Instagram stories around 4pm on Wednesday (Paris time).

Her post showed a horse in a field and quoted a poem by Jennae Cecelia.

“The sun will rise again and so will we,” the quote read.

“Things will get greener. Things will get warmer. Everything will grow again and so will we.”

Aussie coach Tim Walsh was also philosophical after the game.

Borrowing a line from poet Rudyard Kipling, he said: “Triumph and disaster, they are both imposters and you have to treat them the same way.”

Charlotte Caslick was philosophical. Photo: Instagram.

Australia's Teagan Levi was also devastated. Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP.

“They’re devastated. they’ve put a lot into it, everyone has,” he said.

“We came into this tournament to walk away without regret and every single one has done that,” Walsh added.

“They’re going to be disappointed, but I’m proud of them.”

Caslick is one of the most high-profile athletes in the sport after leading the team to an inaugural Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016.

She made headlines last week after taking a veiled swipe at the attention given to the Matildas.

“I don’t know if they (Matildas) will get out of the pool stages,” she told News Corp.

“We (Rugby Sevens) have been at the top of our game for years and years, always up there ... with podium finishes in all of our series. And we probably don’t get the recognition.”

Originally published as ‘Always first’: Aussie rushes to delete Paris nightclub photo