It's been a topsy-turvy time for All Blacks rugby great Dan Carter lately, but on Monday he got good news in two big dollops.
First, there was the announcement he was being inducted into the international Rugby Players' Association Hall of Fame.
Then hot on the heels came the news that he, fellow former All Black Joe Rokocoko and their Racing 92 teammate Juan Imhoff had been cleared of all suspicion of doping by the French Anti-Doping Agency.
The three players had used corticosteroids in the final of Top 14 2016 against Toulon in Barcelona, French news outlet L'Equipe reported. But the club had always asserted that they had medical clearance to use the drugs.
The medical commission of the French Rugby Federation had already cleared the players of any wrongdoing and the Anti-Doping Agency is the final arbiter of the matter.
Racing 92 also posted the news, saying: "All this pseudo-business has cast a shadow over our players and our club by spoiling our start of the season. Dan's innocence, Juan and Joe deserve the same attention as the suspicions they were subjected to."
Carter, who retired from the All Blacks after their 2015 Rugby World Cup win and now plays for Racing 92 in France, will be honoured with his Hall of Fame induction at the RPA players' awards function in London on May 10.
The all-time leading test point scorer will join an illustrious list of previous inductees, including Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, Sir Gareth Edwards and the 2016 winner Brian O'Driscoll.
Named World Rugby Player of the Year on three occasions, Carter has enjoyed an exceptional 14-year career, which has included 112 test caps, 1598 test points, three Super Rugby titles and the Rugby World Cup triumph in 2015.
"I'm honoured to be inducted into the RPA Hall of Fame alongside some true icons of the game. Rugby is the ultimate team sport but to receive an accolade of this kind is both humbling and very satisfying. I've worked extremely hard throughout my career so to be recognised by my peers in this way makes me feel immensely proud."
RPA Group chief executive Damian Hopley said: "Dan has proven time and again to be one of the finest players and characters ever to play the game. As a World Cup winner and the all-time leading point scorer in international rugby, Dan truly deserves of his place alongside the rugby icons in the RPA Hall of Fame."
Carter, who has suffered indifferent form lately for Racing 92, was caught drink-driving in Paris in February.
He admitted on Facebook to "a massive error."
Photo By: STU FORSTER/Getty Image (Dan Carter has been inducted into Rugby Players' Association Hall of Fame).