LONDON – Northampton and England Hooker Dylan Hartley has received a four week ban for his head-butt on Saracens Hooker Jamie George in the Saints’ loss to the London-based Saracens in Saturday’s Aviva Premiership semi-final.
The suspension will see the New Zealand born Hooker miss England’s Rugby World Cup opener against Fiji at Twickenham on 18 September. Hartley’s ban will run from 15 August to 21 September.
Unavailable for the first match of the Rugby World Cup, Hartley is rumoured to have been warned by Stuart Lancaster about his on-field behaviour.
The 29 year old pleaded guilty to the head-butt on George in Northampton’s loss to Saracens on Saturday and is no stranger to on-field disciplinary issues with a total of 54 weeks of suspension in his career.