Dylan Hartley has sensationally been dropped from England’s World Cup squad, after receiving a four week ban for head-butting Saracens hooker Jamie George during Northampton’s Aviva Premiership semi-final loss.
Head coach Stuart Lancaster has taken the decision to drop the irritable hooker, who has a chequered disciplinary past that has seen him banned for 54 weeks of his career to date. It is the second high-profile squad he has missed out on, after copping a similar ban before the 2013 Lions tour to Australia.
Video credit: pujaemuss
Lancaster said: “We are obviously very disappointed with the situation that Dylan has put himself in and where that leaves us as a squad. I have spoken to him and he knows he has let himself and everyone down.
“If we selected him in the World Cup squad he would have played no competitive rugby at all and we would be left exposed with only two available hookers in what is a specialised position going into the Fiji game. All it would take is one injury (that is not tournament ending) during the week of the Fiji game and we would only have one fit hooker in the squad for our crucial opening game and this would leave us massively exposed.
“In addition, the regulations also clearly state that in our World Cup Squad we must have sufficient cover that is suitably trained and experienced in the front row in case of injury. This is clearly not the case if we begin the tournament with a suspended hooker and as such we have been left with no choice but to replace him.
“It also goes without saying that we need all our players to be able to control their discipline and make good decisions under pressure, the World Cup will clearly require this, and Dylan has not clearly displayed this in this latest incident. This is an area that he still needs to address.
“Dylan will be replaced by Jamie George in the World Cup squad and will not be considered until the suspension is served.”
Jamie has obviously played well for Saracens this season and I’m sure will work extremely hard to take his opportunity.”
Dylan Hartley added: “I am devastated with what has happened and the position I have put myself and the England team in. I would like to apologise to Jamie, Stuart, and my team mates both at Saints as well as England. What happened is not acceptable and I understand why this decision has been made.”
Picture credit: COLORPSORT/ANDREW COWIE
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Correct, probaly only decision SL could have made. If Youngs and co get their lineout in order, having him start will be good news given his outstanding form. LCD and George have plenty of time to get integrated into the squad and we don’t have to worry about any of their temperaments. Must be crushing for Hartley to miss out again but he’s taken it respectfully at least.
Hartley is a liability. It’s the only action that could be taken. Well done to Lancaster.
Going to get in here early before the raft of “but it was nuthin!!” comments.
First, this kind of contact, particularly with such obvious aggression, is against the rules/laws. And Hartley has been playing long enough at the top level to know better.
Some people may want to harken back to the “good old days” when a blind eye was turned to this kind of thing, but while rugby is (and hopefully will always remain) a contact sport, I think we’d all like to see games won by superior skill, tactics, and talent, rather than violence and intimidation.
Dylan has a responsibility as a senior England player to set an example, and there is no place for this kind of thing in the modern game. Rugby is experiencing a golden era of popularity in England, and I would hate fans to walk away or parents to stop their kids joining the minis because it is seen as violent or dangerous.
Hartley’s proven himself to be a liability one time too many, and Lancaster had little choice.
Well said… summed it up perfectly.
Well said.
Correct decision. I completely agree with what Peteyboyb said above. Although rugby is of course hugely physical, the key skill for me is controlling the aggression and staying within the laws. Hartley is just not capable of doing that it seems. Plus it seems only fair to other players, i.e. Jamie George, who have been playing well all season and not doing stupid things like this to get a chance instead.
I do feel for Hartley though, it must be crushing to miss both a Lions tour and home WC because of stupidity. I hope his club gives him the necessary support.
Hartley should take a look to Lawes – there’s a guy who manages to channel serious aggression and physicality, but within the rules of the game. Not in stupid head-buts, bites, gouging or calling the ref a cheat.
‘calling the ref a cheat’, well it was Barnes, so you can hardly blame him for that.
I mean, no card of any colour for Farrell’s rugby league ‘stiff arm’ tackle causing his opponent to leave the field & as for the ‘Good’e shoulder charge, it was bad, or IOW a yellow.
And Lawes has had his moments too, although granted, not much of late.
But surely England under Lancaster aren’t thinking clearly. Whilst espousing discipline on the one hand, on the other, he picks these SH types with history?! What’s the Jackanory?
at least Hartley can console himself that he has already played in one home world cup – 2011
What annoys me more than anything is that it is just so unbelievably stupid. He has now managed to get himself omitted from the two biggest tournaments or his life (Lions and home World Cup).
Yeh he didn’t cause any serious injury.
Except to me.
From banging my head on the desk in frustration.
Indeed. My mind goes back to the video of Lawes massive tackle on Jules Plisson. That was far more physical, but within the laws (just, in terms of timing). That’s a real skill.
Been there, but if you watch the slo mo vid again, the ball HAD left Plisson’s hands, so by the laws of physics, it had to have been late. He may be lucky again nxt time though.
As mentioned, Lawes has had his red mist moments too; like going into an opponent’s head with his knees when both were on the ground, over the sideline & therefore out of play. In fairness, though, he’s not been naughty lately.
If you’re looking for a good boy, there are probably better examples out there than ‘the enforcer’.
Really feel for him. Still think it was a really nothing incident that would not have been picked up on had it been someone else.
That’s two WC’s (missed 2007 I believe), and Lions tour because of bans.
Our best hooker now missing will not help us at all; best line out forward in the world.
Feel for him? He’s a professional sportsman who knows the spotlight is on him due to past indiscretions. The only thing to feel is disbelief that he can be so stupid.
If this proves to be his last involvement at international level then he has only himself to blame,though to be fair Jim Mallinder hasn’t helped with his “that’s the way he is” comments.
All the best to Cowan Dickie and George. Let’s hope they really step up and give SL a serious selection problem.
TC As mentioned, he is only human, although he, like Tui, does have a history.
In a sport where we expect players to knock 7 bells out of one another, isn’t sometimes a bit unrealistic to expect them to act like choir boys all the time? Martin Johnson & Lawes for instance, have also had their ‘moments’ of history.
These ‘moments’ are in some people’s make up more than others, but Lancaster picks these guys, so he must bear some responsibility too.
I agree, there are degrees. He is only human… well sometimes anyway.
But some get away with it, like Farrell v Bath, some, like Hartley, don’t.
Prophet Enoch
We expect a link to a youtube video of you eating your hat now.
Please post below!
I look forward to that video also! Massively disappointing, say what you like about Hartely, he is a massive miss to the England squad in terms of caps and leadership. On his day a terrific player. Youngs will have to get his throwing sorted.
Credit to Lancaster, he has had to make three massive decisions on the french based players, Tualgi and now Hartely and in many peoples eyes he has got them all correct. The England jeresy retains credibility.
Banastre ‘The England jeresy retains credibility’? How so when playing SH bods? And will it win you the WC? It might do.
Far more credibility than the French RU after not citing Huget for that horrific stamp to the face
Whether you like Hartley or not, I agree with everyone else, he is a HUGE liability for England going into a pool that will literally sit on knife edge. His ill discipline on which he almost seems to pride himself will add nothing to England’s chances. The debate should be over, move on England you infinitely better options for the position than Hartley.
I just hope the final goes smoothly in terms of banishable physicality and we enjoy a well contested affair with Saracen’s pragmatism and Bath’s fizz. Can’t wait
Ha ha goodbye Pigface…..Goodbye, Farewell, Auf Wiedersen goodbye..no RWC 2015 for you!!!
Banned as in 2007 RWC.
Banned as in 2013 for the Lions.
Thug, thug, thug.
Yet Timothy Rodber, formerly Churcher’s Independent School, Army Officer and a Gentleman is defending Pigface even now.
As is the Nothumpton Chairman or was it Windy Miller and Farmer Jonathan from Trumptonshire.
See you at RWC 2019 Pigsy or maybe not……. you utter utter yob.
Perhaps the RFU will give Pigface a citing officer post like that other thug who played for England
Wade ‘Mine’s yet another pint before I run over that teenage girl in my land rover and fracture her skull but keep my copper’s job’ Dooley!!!
Are we to assume Hartley is not one of your favourite players Enoch? Don’t be so mealy mouthed!
I think you should rename yourself Cynic Enoch
Facts…… dear….. Sharpy boy…….. facts….
.No-one has ever ever ever been able to say I do not state the facts as they really are.
You and many others can hate what I say but no-one no-one has ever disputed the facts that I use as the basis for my postings…rant…..rant ….rant…they call it.
Or the facts as they are in black and white as my dear departed Uncle Bryn used to say or should that be sing!
Any factual inaccuracies in my postings?????
No because they are not any!!!!!
There as a man once said never let the facts get in the way of a good Tory or should that be story?
Enoch. People don’t reply as to do so would be like debating theology with the mad bloke standing on the street corner screaming about the end of the world
Pab Stop commenting about Stuart Lancaster like that, you hear?!
He has a right to stand on any street corner he likes.
“NOW, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!”
DDD
HAT HAT HAT HAT HAT!!!
Can you just shut up and get on with eating your hat?
The right call given the timelines but a big loss to England. That’s a lot of experience and leadership that isn’t being replaced, hopefully whoever gets selected can cope with the pressure.
OH FFS! Cipriani was arrested for drunk driving in the early hours of Monday morning. We aren’t gonna have any players left at this rate
Leo Was the arresting policemen a SH cop who had emigrated?
What actual diff does this make though? Cip had almost NO game time anyway, so no worries… unless Ford, ho hum again, gets crocked of course. But then there’s always that MotM Farrell, isn’t there?