Umaga receives 'Fair Play' award

All Black captain Tana Umaga received an international award in Athens on Tuesday, for his sportsmanship during a Test match in Hamilton last year.

Fair play: Tana Umaga

He was the recipient of the International Committee of Fair Play's International Fair Play Award for coming to the aid of Welsh captain Colin Charvis after he had been tackled during a Test between the All Blacks and Wales last year. While play continued, Umaga attended to the injured Charvis.

"I'm humbled and it is a great honour for me to receive this award," Umaga said.

"Sport is competitive, but it doesn't mean that we should turn the other way when an opposition player is injured. If a similar incident happens in the future, I won't hesitate to help out," he added.

Umaga is the first New Zealander to receive the Pierre de Coubertin Trophy for Fair Play.

The International Committee of Fair Play has previously honoured sports stars including Arthur Ashe, Bobby Charlton, Martina Navratilova and Sergei Bubka. The Committee is an international non-governmental organisation recognised by the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee.

Last year the Welsh Rugby Union recognised Umaga's act of sportsmanship when they presented him with a special Fair Play award at the Rugby World Cup in Australia.