In rugby, taking one for the team is easy to signify

Someone drops the ball u jump down on it and take a rugby player to the face
or someone misses a tackle and you throw yourself underneath them to stop them scoring.

Football,
You line upn in the wall as a man, protectables forward and block that ball

Tennis {doubles}
One sits at the front and gets aimmed for all match

Hockey,
One poor SoAndSo has to sit at the back and gets pot shots aimed at them

but in bridge?
You can't exactly come back, "yeah man, i took it for the team 1100 none of you need go for it"...
Just how does a bridge player take one for the team?

You take the good-looking swedish screenmate to let your partner and team-mates concentrate on their game. Seemed pretty obvious to me...

1) You sit out a match you are desperate to play in because the captain thinks it's best to put in your teamates.

2) You play a straight and disciplined game even when it's not your natural style because you have a captain and teammates relying on you.

3) You take responsibility for a bad score and chalk it up to experience rather than arguing the toss to cover your own failings.

4) (Even better) taking on the blame for a disasterous match to 'manage' your partner. Very important if he/she has had a bad time and low in confidence

All things the Scottish team use to be pretty good at back when it actually played like a team

I reckon the first is a much bigger sacrifice than any of your examples Myles as at least you are still getting the rush of being involved in the sporty ones.

By the way, congrats on the English U25 thingy!

Also...

5) Adhering to curfew and staying off the drink instead of ignoring your captain and sampling the Prague nightlife.

Really Only a "Natural Athlete" could Let Down his teammates in this way.