Kiwi Captain banned for 6 weeks

14 December 2016, 19:42

New Zealander Dylan Hartley, the current English rugby captain was banned for six weeks on Wednesday for striking an opponent playing for his club Northampton, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said in a statement.

The 30-year-old hooker, who will be available for the start of England's Six Nations campaign, was shown a red card for a swinging arm tackle shortly after coming on as a replacement in the European Champions Cup match against Leinster on Friday.

Hartley, previously banned for 54 weeks in his career for offences including eye-gouging, biting and verbally abusing referees, was named England captain by coach Eddie Jones this year and led the team to 13 wins in a row.

"In upholding the red card decision, the Committee found that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and selected five weeks as the appropriate entry point," EPCR said.

"Taking into account Hartley's poor disciplinary record, the Committee added two weeks to the sanction and then reduced the sanction by one week due to the player formerly being from New Zealand, before imposing a suspension of six weeks."

Hartley missed the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013 due to suspension and was omitted from the England squad for last year's World Cup because of a ban for head-butting.

He is among the leading candidates to captain the Lions on next year's tour of New Zealand, along with Ireland hooker Rory Best and Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones.

Hartley will be free to play again on January 23. England begin the defence of their Six Nations title against France at Twickenham on February 4.

 These pommies at it again I see, if only he would remember his kiwi heritage.

 This is not first first suspension for this kind of shyte. Maybe it is because he sometimes remembers his kiwi heritage and not because he forgets it, JW. 

 Think he has spent to long playing with South Africans and Poms is the problem, he has forgotten how to be a noble, honest upstanding Kiwi.
That happens when you lower yourself to play in the NH for so long  

 this guy is a thug and proved once and again he cannot control himself on a rugby field :

April 2007 - banned for 26 weeks after being cited for eye-gouging Wasps forwards James Haskell and Johnny O'Connor.

March 2012 - received an eight-week suspension after being cited for biting the finger of Ireland back row Stephen Ferris while playing for England in a Six Nations game.

December 2012 - banned for two weeks after being cited for punching Ulster hooker Rory Best during a Heineken Cup match.

May 2013 - sent off for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes during the Premiership final against Leicester at Twickenham. Received an 11-week suspension that prevented him from taking his place on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.

December 2014 - sent off for elbowing Leicester centre Matt Smith in the face. Banned for three weeks.

May 2015 - banned for four weeks after head-butting Saracens' Jamie George in Northampton's 29-24 Aviva Premiership semi-final defeat to Saracens. As a direct consequence, England ruled Hartley out of their World Cup plans.

December 2016 - sent off for striking Leinster flanker Sean O'Brien with a swinging arm. Suspended for six weeks.

these are 7 very grave incidents,... eye-gouging, biting, punching, elbowing in the face, head-butting, swinging arm to the head,... all can cause grave injuries,... this guy shouldn't be again on a rugby field,... they should aprove legislation to avoid these repited grave infringments

but the worst of all is that England and the B&I Lions are still considering this thug to be their captain

 ".....he has forgotten how to be a noble, honest upstanding Kiwi"
Tx... I needed a laugh.