Austin Healey Doesn’t Hold Back In His Scathing Assessment Of Dylan Hartley

No holding back.

England skipper Dylan Hartley has been hugely criticised for his performances at club level this season for struggling Northampton, with many calling for him to be stripped of the captaincy and dropped for the Six Nations.

Hartley has been England captain since Eddie Jones took over following a disastrous Rugby World Cup in 2015, and has since led them to back-t0-back Six Nations titles.

While his captaincy and leadership credentials at national level are evident, his individual form isn’t. With the likes of Lions Test hooker Jamie George and the in-form Luke Cowan-Dickie waiting in reserve, is it time Jones dropped is skipper? Austin Healey thinks so.

The former England scrumhalf, turned pundit didn’t hold back in his assessment of Hartley on BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight last night. Healey reckons Hartley doesn’t even deserve to start for the Saints, never mind England.

“His performances for Saints don’t warrant a place in their team, let alone the England team…”

“I don’t understand why he was made England captain…”

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