JIM MALLINDER SAID Dylan Hartley has let Northampton Saints down after the England captain was banned for six weeks for striking Leinster’s Sean O’Brien.
Hartley was shown a red card for his latest rush of blood, which came soon after he came off the bench in a European Champions Cup defeat last Friday.
The hooker was informed at a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday that he will be available for the Six Nations, but the 30-year-old will be sorely missed by struggling Saints.
Hartley will have been suspended for 60 weeks in his career by the time he is eligible to return and Northampton director of rugby Mallinder has expressed his frustration over the England skipper’s latest misdemeanour.
“I don’t feel he’s letting me down personally, but Dylan’s letting the team down.” Mallinder told BBC Radio Northampton.
He let the team down at the weekend. Any time you have a sending off, or even a yellow card, and it’s a disciplinary matter, you’re letting the team down.”
He added: “Dylan has had a lot of criticism. I can’t say I’m not frustrated about it because clearly I am. The team lost a player at 50-odd minutes when we thought we were in the game.
We’ve also lost him when Mike Heywood really needs a rest. The team is struggling a bit and we need some leadership from our senior players and we’ve lost that over the next few weeks.
“We’re frustrated about that, but Dylan Hartley is part of Northampton Saints. We’ve supported each over the last 10 years and will continue to do so.”
Form is temporary, classless is permanent
Well said!
Putting it mildly
Hartley is the type of fella who follows you into the Jack’s and attacks you while your having a slash, always looking for a ceapshot.
When is enough, enough? He will be unavailable to his club for another six weeks (he has only played twice this season for Northampton) this is after being banned for over a year in total previously. When is it time to call a halt to his mindlessness? As sure as night follows day he will offend again and be banned, again! If this was a Leinster player I would want him out of the club as he is a liability. Feel sorry for Saints fans in all of this. They are the ones to suffer. No surprise that he will be back for England duty.
Saints will let him go at the end of the season. They need to shake that club up from a disciplinary point of view.
Yet again.
He will no doubt do it again
No shit Sherlock
Just a thought, but maybe they should be hitting players of his ilk with a large fine tin conjunction with the ban?
Given how much they make you could never fine them enough. But 6 weeks is a joke for someone with his record. They should ban him then add say 50% of the total of all previous suspensions so he would get 6 weeks plus half of 54 weeks(27) for a total of 33 weeks, that would hurt. No 6N, no Lions… In this case it is deserved, it was one of the cheapest shots i have ever seen, absolute intent to do harm. The type of play that tv replays have got rid of. It was not an accident or a tackle gone wrong it was simply a swinging arm to the head from behind to inflict hurt.
Not excusing the individual but clearly a culture issue at Northampton. Hartley been banned more times than I’ve had hot dinners. Callum Clark too, Lawes had his issues. Mallinder been there too long and clearly struggling with on and off field issues.
Let himself down for a professional this is disgraceful.
You think hartleys bad.. Check this guy out… Just got a 3year ban. http://deadspin.com/italian-rugby-player-flattens-female-ref-gets-three-ye-1790143103
Attacking a ref like that should be a life time ban. Why would anyone be a ref if this stuff goes on, then where would the game be. But that Italian was not trying to take the refs head off. IMO Hartley showed more intent to injure and he should know better, with cameras everywhere you will be caught. But his record shows he thinks he can get away with it. Hartleys play reminds me of how rugby league was played in the 1970s-80s.
I’m not comparing the incidents…
holy shit.
Get the virus out asap..