Charlotte Caslick a team player after being voted best rugby women’s sevens player

THE honour of being named the best women’s rugby sevens player in the world is a touch bittersweet for Charlotte Caslick.

Charlotte Caslick poses during the Australian Sevens Jersey launch.

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THE honour of being named the best women’s sevens player in the world is a touch bittersweet for Charlotte Caslick.

The seven-try star of the Rio Olympics says she wants to share her award with the entire Australian team which made history by wining gold at the Games but failed to earn even a nomination as World Rugby’s Team of the Year.

Charlotte Caslick scored seven tries at the Rio Olympics.

Eye-brows were raised at the omission with Caslick, who identified a number of her own teammates as more deserved of the individual award than her, admitted she and fellow players were disappointed at being overlooked.

New Zealand - named as winners by World Rugby on Monday - England and the Fijian men’s sevens side all made the cut.

“The girls were by disappointed we didn’t get nominated for the teams award. Hopefully they can take something from my award to make up for it,’’ said Caslick at the launch of the new Australia shirt for the upcoming HSBC Sevens World Series.

“We obviously had an amazing season and did the exact thing as the Fiji men (winning the Olympic gold and world series) but didn’t play as many tournaments. We are not sure why really.

Jesse Parahi and Charlotte Caslick will both represent Australian in the world series which starts in Dubai in December.

“It would have been great for the women’s team to at least have been nominated.’’

The Australian women’s sevens team matched the feat of Fiji in winning both the World Series and an historic Olympic gold on debut, but failed to receive a similar nomination.

Caslick - the only Australian nominated in any category - said she was taken aback when learning she has secured her individual gong.

“It is hard to get my head around it. I probably don’t agree. I think there are girls in my team more deserved,’’ she said.

“It is hard as a team player to get individual rewards.

“All seven of us work so well together. We allow each other to be the best we can be.’’

Caslick is the second Australian woman to claim the Women’s World Sevens Player of the Year award after team mate Emilee Cherry’s victory in 2014.

This time Caslick beat 2015 winner Portia Woodman of New Zealand — the top tryscorer on the 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series — and Emily Scarratt, the England and Great Britain captain.