Dylan Hartley for England Captain?

by 1 December 17, 2015

Overnight, the rugby media has reported that new England coach Eddie Jones is set to replace Chris Robshaw as England Rugby captain, and the new man for the role appears to be the controversial Dylan Hartley.

Any even moderate rugby fan will be aware of Dylan's chequered past. His disciplinary record is quite horrific and he has amassed an incredible 54 weeks of suspension over his career. Here are the gory details........

April 2007 - Banned for 26 weeks for eye-gouging Wasps forwards James Haskell and Jonny O'Connor.
March 2012 - Banned for eight weeks for biting Ireland forward Stephen Ferris in a Six Nations match.
December 2012 - Banned for two weeks for punching Ulster hooker Rory Best in a Heineken Cup match.
May 2013 - Sent off in the Aviva Premiership final and banned for 11 weeks after being found guilty of verbally abusing a match official. Missed the Lions tour to Australia.
December 2014 - Banned for three weeks for an elbowing offence in the match against Leicester Tigers. His elbow made contact with the nose of winger Matt Smith.
May 2015 - Found guilty of an off-the-ball headbutt on Jamie George in the semi-final of the English premiership.

And the video evidence..... The Elbow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZznTpNJ9YlQ Swearing at referee Wayne Barnes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EV-aM3j0kg Biting Stephen Ferris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfJu3oSBx0M It doesn't look great when you watch them back. He is certainly not the role model you would put on a pedastal for the next generation of rugby players and fans to look up to. However there is something about Dylan that reminds me of Ian McGeechan’s decision to appoint Martin Johnson as captain of the 1997 British & Irish Lions touring party. Geech selected Johnson as he wanted a big guy to knock on the South African dressing room and look the Springboks players straight in the eye, or even better, down on them. If I was the opposing team’s captain and had Dylan Hartley darkening you door...... well you know you would be in for a battle! It's not too late to treat a loved one (or yourself!) to an England Replica shirt this Christmas. The last date for guaranteed delivery for the big day is Tuesday 22nd December.
Share:

1

Author

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in Rugby Stuff News

British and Irish Lions New Zealand All Blacks

First XV Rugbystuff.com tours New Zealand with the 2017 British & Irish Lions - Part 1

by Andy Hutchinson June 26, 2017

View full article →

Will this be the Lions 1st Test Squad?

by Adam Clark June 21, 2017

British & Irish Lions Head Coach Warren Gatland will tonight unveil his team for the first Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday. Is this the team he is set to name?

View full article →

British and Irish Lions

Our Top 5 Lions YouTube Moments So Far

by Adam Clark June 17, 2017

The British & Irish Lions tour of 2017 is certainly off with a bang! The Lions and their partners have been in overdrive churning out social media and YouTube videos like no tour before it.

View full article →

Home page

First XV rugbystuff.com - Purveyors of the finest selection of rugby shirts, kit, boots and balls!

Replica Kit - At Rugbystuff.com, you will find an extensive collection of replica rugby kit from clubs and countries around the world. The Six Nations sides Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, France and Italy sit alongside the Southern Hemisphere nations of Australia’s Wallabies, New Zealand’s All Blacks and the Springboks from South Africa. You'll also find a range of the best Pro Team rugby kits from around the globe, including Super Rugby, Pro12, Top 14 and Aviva Premiership. Local teams Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors are of course well catered for.

Rugby Boots - The most important piece of equipment for any rugby player, rugbystuff.com has a range of rugby boots that cater for every position on the park. From the youngest kids to gnarled veterans, Adidas, Canterbury, Asics, Under Armour and Optimum all offer rugby boots in a variety of fits and styles to ensure there is something for everyone.

Protection - If you’re feeling the knocks the morning after the game, it’s time to invest in some rugby protection. With padding covering the shoulders, biceps, sternum, kidneys and back, the bumps won’t hurt as much in a set of rugby pads from Canterbury. Worried about developing cauliflower ears? A rugby headguard helps keep them covered but still allows you to hear the important calls on the pitch.

Baselayers - When the temperature plummets, base layers from Under Armour and Canterbury help to keep you warm. Leggings, shorts and long sleeve baselayer tops prevent the chill setting in on match day. Under Armour HeatGear is designed to keep you cool, dry and light when the mercury rises to over 24°C.

Teamwear - A recent addition to the rugbystuff.com stable, we now feature an expansive collection of rugby teamwear. From Canterbury and Under Armour, there is guaranteed to be a style and colour to suit your club side. If you want to ensure your team stands out from the crowd, then we can do a bespoke range for your club. We’ll design the kit and arrange all the embroidery, names, numbers and sponsors logos so sit back and relax whilst the best team wear wings its way to your Clubhouse.

Shirt Printing - If you need a rugby jersey personalised, perhaps for a birthday or big occasion then it is now easier than ever. Simply choose the rugby shirt you are after, select the required initials, names or numbers, enter the text all on the same page and our expert team will get it printed and delivered in no time at all.