World Cup blow for banned Hartley
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England bad boy Dylan Hartley will not be eligible to play in the first match of the World Cup later this year, if he is named in the final squad, after being suspended for four weeks.
The 29-year-old hooker - capped 66 times - received the suspension after pleading guilty at a disciplinary hearing, for head-butting Saracens Jamie George during the second half of his club Northampton's Premiership semifinal defeat last Saturday.
The New Zealand-born forward will miss England's three World Cup warm-up games and the tournament opener against Fiji at Twickenham on September 18.
He wil…
The 29-year-old hooker - capped 66 times - received the suspension after pleading guilty at a disciplinary hearing, for head-butting Saracens Jamie George during the second half of his club Northampton's Premiership semifinal defeat last Saturday.
The New Zealand-born forward will miss England's three World Cup warm-up games and the tournament opener against Fiji at Twickenham on September 18.
He wil…
