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| Dylan Hartley, who will be available for the start of England’s Six Nations campaign, was shown a red card while playing for club side Northampton for a swinging arm tackle in the European Champions Cup match against Leinster on Friday |
England captain Dylan Hartley 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 Englandโs 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.
โIn upholding the red card decision, the Committee found that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugbyโs sanctions and selected five weeks as the appropriate entry point,โ EPCR said.
โTaking into account Hartleyโs poor disciplinary record, the Committee added two weeks to the sanction and then reduced the sanction by one week due to the playerโs guilty plea before imposing a suspension of six weeks.โ
Hartley missed the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013 due to suspension and was omitted from the England squad for last yearโs World Cup because of a ban for head-butting.
He is among the leading candidates to captain the Lions on next yearโs tour of New Zealand, along with Ireland hooker Rory Best and Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones.
Hartley will be free to play again on Jan. 23. England begin the defence of their Six Nations title against France at Twickenham on Feb. 4.
