CJ Stander has defended "tough guy" Johnny Sexton, insisting the Ireland fly-half would never play-act.
Scotland centre Alex Dunbar was sin-binned for a judo-throw cleanout on Sexton at a ruck as Saturday's Six Nations clash in Dublin descended into a tense finish.
Scotland's Pete Horne told referee Pascal Gauzere "he's milking it" in reaction to Sexton's nonplussed, theatrical response to being upended by Dunbar.
Ireland eventually prevailed 35-25 in Dublin to finish third in a Six Nations tournament where Sexton has taken a battering, but Stander insists the 30-year-old is anything but a soft touch.
"Johnny always gets marked, and it's tough for a player like that, because he always gets the big tackles, the big knocks off the ball," said Munster flanker Stander.
"In rugby if you have an injury you stay down; if you don't, you get straight back up.
"I've got massive respect for Johnny, he's a tough guy, and a player who would never milk a penalty like that, it's just not something he'd do.
"If he has an injury he'll sit down, and that's just what happened."
Sexton was sin-binned himself late on, for rucking from the side to deny Scotland quick ball in Ireland's 22.