TANA UMAGA IN 2003

Sticking with the All Blacks, and Tana Umaga is a man who knows a thing or two about fair play.

It was during a Test against Wales in Hamilton back in 2003 that Umaga saw Colin Charvis knocked out cold by a Jerry Collins tackle.

Rather than chase after the ball and build an attack, Umaga immediately tended to Charvis, removed his mouthguard and put him in the recovery position.

His actions won the Pierre de Coubertin Trophy for international fair play for his compassionate deed and his heroics have been repeated a few times since.

Nathan Hughes did the same when Sam Simmonds was knocked out trying to tackle him in a Wasps v Exeter Chiefs game two seasons ago.

And David Pocock also made sure Ryan Crotty was OK before the medics arrived, in the white–hot heat of a Bledisloe Cup match.

BILLY VUNIPOLA IN 2018

It was during a club match between Saracens and Harlequins last season that No.8 Vunipola showed his noble side.

Despite there being not much love lost between the two sides, Vunipola was quick to admit to the referee in their Premiership clash that he had not grounded the ball before a try could be awarded.

More recently, Dan Biggar did the same in Wales’ warm-up clash with Ireland last month and Mike Brown also held his hands up and admitted the truth in a Challenge Cup clash with Agen last year, the full-back directly contravening the referee who had already awarded a try.

There is also Gloucester’s Billy Twelvetrees who tried to talk referee Ian Tempest out of a red card for opposition player Lorenzo Cittadini after the TMO had spotted a blow to the face at the bottom of a ruck.

Twelvetrees was insistent that it was ‘something of nothing’ but Tempest would not be overruled and the Wasps prop was given his marching orders.

JONNY WILKINSON IN 2013

Wilkinson will always be a hero to many for his drop-goal heroics in 2003. But ten years later it was another drop goal that showed his selfless side.

In a Heineken Cup semi-final for Toulon against Saracens, Wilkinson slotted the coupe de grace at the death before being clattered by Owen Farrell.

Then as the ball sailed over the posts, Wilkinson patted the crestfallen Farrell on the back of the head in an act of conciliation that impressed all who saw it.