Goodbye & Good Riddance Dylan Hartley

mathepac said:
I see Jones subscribes to the collective amnesia that persists in English rugby circles.

Can I re-fresh their memories:
  • April 2007 - 26 week ban for eye-gouging - the targets of his dangerous violent conduct were James Haskell and Johnny O’Connor. Bizarrely he also got Man of the Match Award.
  • March 2012 - 8 week ban for biting Stephen Ferris. Hailed as future England captain by Graham Rowntree, presumably because he’d been guilty again of dangerous violent conduct
  • December 2012 - 2 week ban for throwing punches and elbows at Rory Best
  • May 2013 - 11 week ban for calling ref Wayne Barnes “a f***ing cheat”
  • December 2014 - banned again after elbowing Matt Smith in the nose and mouth
  • May 2015 - 4 week ban for head-butting Jamie George and dropped from Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad. Effusive apologies issued by Hitman Hartley as lucrative contract torn up. No firm resolve of “sinning no more” issued though.
  • December 2016 - 6 week ban for violent swing-arm ‘tackle’ (read elbow) at the back of Sean O’Brien’s head
He also faced internal disciplinary proceedings for the England squad’s off-field behaviour during the 2011 World Cup and has been yellow-carded :
  • against Georgia in 2011
  • South Africa in 2012
  • November 2014, for a horrendous stamp on Duane Vermuelan
Just the sort of thug you’d love to have representing you and leading your country.
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On the plus side Hartley did captain England to the Six Nations Grand Slam and a 3-0 whitewash of Australia last year and is the most-capped hooker in England's history.He's also a loyal servant to his country having turned down big-money contracts from France in order to continue playing for England.
Great leaders are often imperfect but I know who I'd want in the trenches next to me.
Fortunately rugby is a game played on the field and not in an armchair.
 
On the associated matter of the new tackling laws that came into force on Jan 1st even within the first few games it's obvious that there's going to be huge inconsistency and confusion.
Tackling is such a crucial part of the game yet why risk a red card for what is intended to be a perfectly fair challenge that goes awry when a player either slips or deliberately behaves in a way to get an opponent sent off.
I couldn't help noticing CJ Stander's attempt to be an early exponent of this yesterday against Racing Metro.
 
The first game referees under the new laws was the Leinster game. Two high tackles on Leinster players, the first within the first 5 minutes, and neither were actioned at all. Neither were bad but both fell within the scope of the new rules.
 
Dylan Hartley confirmed at 6 nations launch this AM as England captain for the tournament.
Swing low sweet chariot.....
 
Delboy said:
Dylan Hartley confirmed at 6 nations launch this AM as England captain for the tournament.
Swing low sweet chariot.....
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Good news for England,with an ever-lengthening injury list.
Back-to-back Grand Slams is going to be a huge ask.
 
Was Dylan Hartley picked for the British and Irish Lions? Is he the mid-week captain? Or has he been relegated to boot-boy?
 
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