Slap on the wrist for Hartley

Northampton Saints and England serial offender Dylan Hartley has escaped with a slap on the wrist, following his latest brain explosion.

Hartley, with a growing list of serious offences, has been cleared to play in the forthcoming Six Nations tournament – after receiving just a three-week ban for elbowing Leicester Tigers' Matt Smith in his team's Premiership win at the weekend.

It was feared the Saints captain would be hit with a long suspension, given his poor disciplinary record, but a Rugby Football Union hearing, held via conference call on Tuesday, opted for a more lenient approach.

A ban of six weeks or more would have jeopardised Hartley's chances of appearing in the Six Nations, which gets underway with England's clash against Wales in early February.

There was doubt about his future Test career in light of a previous disciplinary rap sheet that includes eye-gouging, biting, punching and swearing.

Hartley, who was sent off in the Premiership match between Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers for striking Smith with his elbow, contrary to Law 10.4(a), was eventually banned from Tuesday (December 23) until January 11.

The Saints hooker pleaded guilty to judicial officer Jeremy Summers.

"The sanction reflects the low end entry point of the offence, which carries a two-week tariff," Summers said.

"The entry point was aggravated, having regard to Dylan's previous record and a week was taken off to reflect mitigating circumstances.

"As such the sanction reflects the player's record rather than the seriousness of the offence itself."

This is the latest in a long list of incidents in Hartley's career, which has been marred by disciplinary problems.

Hartley's roll of shame began with a 26-week ban in April 2007 for gouging the eyes of Wasps forwards James Haskell and Jonny O'Connor.

An eight-week ban followed in March 2012 after he was found to have bitten Ireland flank Stephen Ferris' finger, before receiving a two-week penalty in December of the same year for punching Ulster's Rory Best.

Hartley's disciplinary shortcomings reached a personal nadir in May 2013 when swearing at referee Wayne Barnes during Northampton's Premiership Final defeat to Leicester.

That cost the New Zealand-born hooker a red card and his place on the British and Irish Lions tour as he was subsequently hit with an 11-week ban.