Jonny Wilkinson has backed the call to make an example of simulators, after it was announced that players who feign injuries may be sin-binned at the World Cup.

John Jeffrey, chairman of the World Rugby match officials selection committee, has revealed a clampdown on what is described as football-style behaviour in the tournament, and said players found to be diving or feigning injuries risk being yellow-carded.

However, England's World Cup-winning hero of 2003 suggested it is not something that is widespread in the game, having never considered it in his own playing days, but supported the idea of punishing those who offended.

The retired fly-half told Sky Sports News HQ: "It's a funny one. I've never found myself taking a dive, etc - I can't imagine why you would, but also in rugby you get hit.

"The other thing that's in your mind, is every second, or millisecond you're on the floor you're not helpful or doing something positive for your team and that's why it's all about getting back onto your feet immediately."

Wilkinson, who was well known to be one of the toughest players in the game, even admitted he had gone to extreme lengths to hide possible injuries from his opponents.

"Even at times when I've had neck injuries and whatever, one of the great messages, and something you have to be careful on is 'get up, get up!'," he said. "Just being in the line - those pains go very quickly - you just get up and move on so the guys aren't doubling up for my lack of being there.

"The idea that you stay down longer, to me, is a funny one and it doesn't really make sense.

"But if people think there's an example of it, then great, but I would never want to stay down; I wouldn't want someone to think they've got a good shot on me - it would be the opposite.

"I'd want to get up no matter how much (it hurt).

"I guess respect and all that needs to be shown and if it has not been shown, then ways we can increase it (can help), but I trust the values of the sport."

Current England man Geoff Parling also backed the decision to threaten diving with a sin-binning.

"Definitely," he said. "If any of our players were diving or feigning injury, it wouldn't go down very well with us. It's no issue with us but I'd certainly welcome it (being looked at).

"I don't think it's a problem - certainly not at this level. If that's what they're going to crack down on, then fair play."

New Zealand fly-half and record international points-scorer Dan Carter added: "That kind of stuff is not really in the spirit of the game, to be honest.

"It's not something we've talked about as a team. It's not something we do or practise.

"So we haven't really talked about the mandate, so it's all good."

Jeffrey, a former Scotland flanker, had been quoted in several national newspapers as saying: "There is a culture creeping in - I call it the football culture - of simulation; people appealing to the referee, players - and it has happened a couple of times - diving.

"That is going to be sanctioned very heavily in this tournament. We are the showcase of our rugby event and it's very, very important that we keep our values there and referees have been asked to sanction very heavily on that."