19 Iconic Sportsmen Who Battled Serious Injury And Carried On

19. Jamie Roberts plays on with skull fracture

Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts achieved a rare feat in 2008 when a sickening clash of heads with Australia’s Stirling Mortlock brought a hush over the Millennium Stadium. The 74,000 crowd held its breath as Roberts and Mortlock were helped off the field, looking in a bad way. Yet, amazingly, the Welshman returned to play for a further 15 minutes, helping to create a try for Shane Williams in the Dragons’ 21-18 victory. After that, he left the field and joined a dazed Mortlock in going to hospital where X-rays revealed Roberts had fractured his skull.