Dylan Hartley grateful for final chance to remain in England team

Hartley was replaced by Ireland’s Rory Best in the Lions squad and his 11-week suspension ends with Saints’ seasonal opener at home to Exeter a week tomorrow. Lancaster has retained Hartley in the senior England squad.

Despite a record that includes a six-month ban for eye-gouging in 2007, Northampton coach Jim Mallinder showed as forgiving a nature as Lancaster by retaining him as club captain.

“It wasn’t a decision we jumped at or made immediately,” said Mallinder.

“There were a lot of discussions with Dylan and other people. But we all came to same conclusion, that Dylan was and is the best player to lead the team. He has the experience and has grown into the player he is. We’ve all made mistakes. He will be a better captain, a better player and a better person for what he has gone through.”

It is a touching faith, undisturbed by other run-ins that included separate suspensions in 2011-12 after incidents playing for England and Northampton.

Lancaster made him England’s captain in South Africa 15 months ago almost as soon as one of his bans had been completed. His coaches take Hartley’s word for it in a way disciplinary officers evidently do not – including the insult he says was not directed at Barnes, who had warned him about his conduct minutes earlier.

“I understand how it was intended,” said Hartley. “I did say what I said but I know who I was talking to or about and I’ve heard much worse in the front row.

“But my approach to dealing with referees has to change. I need a good, solid start to the season with regard to England and we all know if you are playing well for your club you have a chance.”

As “dealing with referees” has become one of the most important aspects of rugby captaincy – as demonstrated in Hartley’s absence by ref-friendly Sam Warburton’s selection to lead the Lions – Hartley has work to do.

Any more trouble would be bound to cost him not only the Saints captaincy but also, by his own estimation, his place in Lancaster’s England group, where rival hooker Tom Youngs, of Leicester, now has a Lions Test place to his credit.

Youngs, rather than Barnes, was supposedly the real target of Hartley’s abuse. Either way, it was dismal captaincy. “I was open to stepping down,” said Hartley. “But Jim took me out of it and said, ‘We want you to do it, we fully back you, the board backs you, the lads back you’.

“I didn’t make the decision. It was made for me.”

Dylan Hartley grateful for final chance to remain in England team