Northampton hooker Hartley gets two weeks

Northampton Saints hooker, Dylan Hartley will miss his side’s return Heineken Cup match against Ulster at Ravenhill tomorrow night. Hartley was suspended yesterday for two weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in Dublin.

The England hooker pleaded guilty to striking his opposite number, Ulster hooker Rory Best, in the second half of last week’s round three match in Franklin’s Gardens in contravention of Law 10.4(a). The complaint was made by Citing Commissioner, Jean-Claude Legendre.

The offence was judged to be at the low end of the spectrum. However, when considering relevant aggravating factors the ERC Judicial Officer Roger O’Connor added one week for the 26-year-old’s poor disciplinary record and subsequently reduced the suspension by one week for his conduct during the hearing and his guilty plea.

Hartley may well see the suspension as lenient given his chequered past with rugby authorities. He was suspended for eight weeks in March for biting the finger of Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris during England’s home win over Ireland. That indiscretion meant he missed England’s summer tour to South Africa.

It had been speculated that he would face a lengthy spell on the sidelines following the Ferris incident as he had served a lengthy 26-week ban in 2007 for gouging. On that occasion the New Zealand born Hartley was found guilty of eye-gouging the Wasps players James Haskell and Connacht flanker Jonny O’Connor. The 26-week ban dashed his hopes of being part of his country’s World Cup campaign in France.

Right to appeal

Hartley will be free to play from December 24th, which means his chances of playing in the Six Nations Championship with England remain intact, although the England hooking berth was impressively filled by Leicester’s Tom Youngs during the autumn internationals.

Cardiff Blues scrum half, Lloyd Williams was suspended for five weeks yesterday following a red card in his side’s Pool Six match against Montpellier at Cardiff Arms Park last Sunday.

Williams was shown red by Irish referee, John Lacey for a ‘tip’ tackle on the Montpellier’s Benoit Paillaugue.

Newport wing forward, Jevon Groves was suspended for two weeks for a dangerous tackle on Rugby Mogliano fullback Ezio Galon.The Judicial Officer, England’s Jeremy Summers, determined that the allegation of a ‘tip’ tackle was not upheld and the charge reduced to a dangerous tackle.