Eddie Jones blasts Dylan Hartley but hooker could retain England captaincy
England coach Eddie Jones has accused his captain Dylan Hartley of letting down “himself, his club Northampton and his country” after the hooker was handed a six-week ban for striking an opponent.
Hartley, who has a lengthy disciplinary record, was handed the third dismissal of his career for a high swinging arm tackle on Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien, just six minutes after coming on in the European Champions Cup tie against Leinster this month.
“Dylan will be more disappointed than anyone about what has happened and he has got to cop the penalty because the World Rugby directive on protecting the head is 100 per cent right,” Jones told the Daily Telegraph.
“He has let down himself, he has let down his club and he has let down his country. He is eligible for selection for the Six Nations and it comes down to the case for every selection — we pick the best 23… and if he is in the best 23, then he has a chance to be captain.”
Hartley missed last year’s World Cup after a ban for head‑butting and has previously served suspensions totalling 54 weeks for offences, including eye gouging, biting and verbally abusing referees.
“This is not the last chance for him but he understands that he can’t behave in the way he did. Up to this point he has had an exemplary record [for us],” Jones added.
“Discipline is not a black and white situation. Each player is judged on their merits and some players in our squad have already had more than one chance.”
Jones has returned to Australia for a family break over Christmas but will meet up with Hartley and the rest of the England squad in a two-day get-together in Brighton on January 2.
Hartley is available to play again on January 23 but is unlikely to see any action before the Six Nations because England leave for a week’s warm-weather training camp in Portugal the previous day.
Even though Hartley has been in a similar position this year already — he played little rugby due to injury before the summer tour of Australia, as well as the autumn series — it is difficult to keep repeating the feat.
Saracens’ Jamie George provides an able deputy at hooker, while club team-mate Owen Farrell’s captaincy claims are strong if Jones decides it’s time for a change of leadership.
