Updated 14:35

DYLAN HARTLEY HAS been cleared over any suspicions of biting following a fractious Premiership tie between Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers on Saturday.

Hartley and Wayne Barnes, the game’s referee, never stay under the radar for long. Last May, Barnes sent off the Northampton Saints and England hooker for calling him a cheat in the Premiership final — costing him a spot on the Lions tour. Yesterday, Barnes blew up Saints’ match with Tigers four seconds too soon and Hartley was at the centre of a biting allegation furore.

Tigers hooker Tom Youngs claimed he had been bitten on the hand after 15 minutes of his side’s 22-16 win. Hartley, who later went off with an injured shoulder, was zeroed in, by several Leicester forwards, as the culprit. Barnes asked for a video replay but it proved inconclusive and played continued.

Speaking to Espnscrum after the game, Tigers boss Richard Cockerill commented, “Tom said that he was bitten on the hand by someone he didn’t elaborate on. The referee referred it to the TMO, and looked at it and there was clearly nothing to look at. Maybe Tom was mistaken. It will be looked at by the relevant people.”

This afternoon, RFU citing officer Wade Dooley reviewed footage of the alleged incident and decided that there was no cause for action to be taken. ”The incident has been reviewed and no action will be taken against Dylan Hartley,” an RFU spokesperson confirmed.

Asked about the incident again, moments later, by BBC Radio Leicester, the Tigers coach was less talkative. He said, “It’s something I don’t really want to get into. I don’t want to comment on it. It’s not for me to say if that has happened. Somebody else will deal with it but it won’t be me.”

Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder was not happy that Barnes blew up play with four minutes on the clock after the ball went out for a line-out. He remonstrated vociferously with the ref as he blew full-time. Speaking post-match he explained, “I was only asking the question. Passions are high, emotional, and it was very, very close at the end of the game.”

Down at The Stoop, Tomás O’Leary returned as scrum-half for London Irish after his recent red card ban but was not able to prevent Conor O’Shea’s Harlequins winning 23-9. Jamie Hagan and Fergus Mulchrone also started for the Exiles, who were undone by the excellent New Zealander Nick Evans, Sam Smith and English fullback Mike Brown.

Other Aviva Premiership results

• Exeter Chiefs 13-14 Gloucester
• Harlequins 23-9 London Irish
• London Wasps 20-32 Saracens
• Sale Sharks 12-11 Bath

*First published at 11:19

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