Hartley axed by England
Dylan Hartley's hopes of playing in the World Cup were all but ended, after England ran out of patience with the volatile hooker – following his latest disciplinary problem – and dropped him from their training squad on Friday.
The 29-year-old Hartley – capped 66 times – was banned for four weeks, after pleading guilty to headbutting Saracens' Jamie George during the second half of club side Northampton's Premiership 24-29 semifinal defeat last weekend.
Jamie George has now replaced Hartley in World Cup hosts England's squad.
Earlier this month, England coach Stuart Lancaster said Manu Tuilagi would not feature during the World Cup, after the Red Rose centre was banned following his admission that he'd assaulted a pair of female police officers.
New Zealand-born Hartley – who has now accrued 54 weeks in total of bans during his career – will miss England's three World Cup warm-up games and the tournament opener against Fiji at Twickenham on September 18.
Given the specialist nature of his position, Lancaster said he had no choice but to ditch Hartley, although there remains the possibility he could yet be called up as an injury replacement.
"We are obviously very disappointed with the situation that Dylan has put himself in and where that leaves us as a squad," said Lancaster in a Rugby Football Union statement.
"I have spoken to him and he knows he has let himself and everyone down.
"If we selected him in the World Cup squad he would have played no competitive rugby at all and we would be left exposed with only two available hookers in what is a specialised position going into the Fiji game," Lancaster added.
"All it would take is one injury [that is not tournament ending] during the week of the Fiji game and we would only have one fit hooker in the squad for our crucial opening game and this would leave us massively exposed.
"In addition, the regulations also clearly state that in our World Cup Squad we must have sufficient cover that is suitably trained and experienced in the front row in case of injury.
"This is clearly not the case if we begin the tournament with a suspended hooker and as such we have been left with no choice but to replace him.
"It also goes without saying that we need all our players to be able to control their discipline and make good decisions under pressure, the World Cup will clearly require this, and Dylan has not clearly displayed this in this latest incident.
"This is an area that he still needs to address.
"Dylan will be replaced by Jamie George in the World Cup squad and will not be considered until the suspension is served."
Hartley added: "I am devastated with what has happened and the position I have put myself and the England team in.
"I would like to apologise to Jamie, Stuart, and my teammates both at Saints as well as England. What happened is not acceptable and I understand why this decision has been made."
Hartley had been vying with Leicester's Tom Youngs to be England's first-choice hooker.
His latest ban adds to a checkered disciplinary record that has seen Hartley suspended for swearing at referee Wayne Barnes, an incident that scuppered his hopes of playing on the 2013 British an Irish Lions tour of Australia, as well as a series of biting, eye-gouging, punching and elbowing offences.
England did stand by Hartley during the Six Nations after his three-week ban for elbowing Leicester's Matt Smith but it appears he has now used up his last chance with Lancaster.
Hartley's roll call of shame
Previous disciplinary infractions by Dylan Hartley:
April 2007: Banned for 26 weeks after gouging Wasps' duo James Haskell and Jonny O'Connor.
March 2012: Banned for eight weeks for biting Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris during Six Nations match.
June 2012: Yellow-carded in first game as England captain against South Africa.
December 2012: Given a two-week ban for striking Ulster's Rory Best.
May 2013: Eleven-week ban after being sent off for swearing at the referee, which cost him a place in the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia – his place went to Best.
December 2014: Banned for three weeks for elbowing Leicester's Matt Smith.
