Hartley announced as new England captain

January 25, 2016
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Ultimate Rugby

Eddie Jones has announced this afternoon that hooker Dylan Hartley is the new captain of England ahead of the 6 Nations. This announcement has been widely expected over the last couple of days with Hartley looking to put his days of indiscipline behind him and lead his country to their 27th 6 Nations Title.

Eye-gouging, biting, punching, elbowing, head-butting and swearing at a referee are the offences that have seen the 29-year-old amass 54 weeks of suspensions, forcing him to miss the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour and last year's World Cup.

His biggest disappointment to date would have been missing the 2015 Rugby World Cup on home soil for a head butt on Saracen's Jamie George last May for which he received a 4 week ban. This was the eventual cause to his omission from Stuart Lancaster's final squad for the tournament.