Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley will miss this weekend's Premiership match at London Irish after sustaining an injury against Wasps.
That was the word from Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder who said Harltey has a hairline fracture of his eye socket.
The injury forced the England international off the field in Northampton's 24-6 win at Franklin's Gardens last Friday.
He was was replaced by Mike Haywood who is now set to start in Saturday's clash at the Madejski Stadium as Saints look to retain their unbeaten record in the Premiership.
"The swelling has gone down but Dylan has got a hairline fracture of his eye socket," said Mallinder told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.
"It means he will be out short-term and he won't play this weekend."
Comments
physiodan says...
@bullitt Did I say he was a thug? No I didn't. I eluded to the fact that other players are coming through the ranks at other clubs who I see as future stars for club and country and therefore Hartley will hopefully be limited with his future England caps. He has done a job since being in the England shirt but even then he was pushed out by a guy with an even more crooked throw in the line than his. With DW at saints I expected more from Hartley, hopefully more will be gained from Haywood.
Posted 11:10 04th October 2012
bullitt says...
@ Jedi - that was in response to physiodan's comment.
Posted 18:49 03rd October 2012
Jediboy says...
Hartley is nothing but a thug while Youngs is destined for greatness?
The benefit of playing for Leicester...
Life must be nice in your simple little world!!!
Posted 16:13 03rd October 2012
bullitt says...
Hartley is nothing but a thug while Youngs is destined for greatness?
The benefit of playing for Leicester...
Posted 14:23 03rd October 2012
physiodan says...
I think few people hate Hartley, just feel that England have been unfortunate that he is the only half decent hooker we have had for a long while. The future could be bright with the likes of Youngs and George coming through.
@ Bullitt - a little unfair - I can understand how those who have never touched a ball could see Hartley as being an England great as they see him playing for country as the media build him up to be great, not the other way round. Rugby scholars will see him for what he is. He is a hooker who is better than some in the premiership but would not feature anywhere near a world XV.
Hartley for captain, I really hope not. As a country we need inspiration not desperation!
Posted 10:15 03rd October 2012
porridge_time says...
but boy he is a good player
Maybe at PL Club level.
Posted 09:49 03rd October 2012
bullitt says...
Its a "cool" thing to hate on Hartley, mostly from self perpetuating hear-say based on small minded children whom have never even seen the incidents they're supposedly experts upon. A lot of them I bet have never even held a rugby ball.
He made the mistake of falling foul of the Wasps media machine nearly a decade ago and had been taking flak since. Thankfully for him, he's got thick enough skin to get on with it, unfazed by the keyboard warriors.
Posted 08:04 03rd October 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@NH Saints when you say "he may be dirty sometimes" do you mean "he may be a hooker sometimes"
I'm no particular fan of the guy but don't feel that 2 upheld disciplinary issues makes him a particularly dirty player. I don't here the same level of vitriol levelled at a player like Jerry Flannery who tried to kick a Frenchman into row 8 or Brad Davies trying to plant an Irishman in the Lansdowne turf.
Yet a (perfectly justified) and lengthy ban for gouging, followed by a slightly dubious one for biting (having read the citing report, it would appear that (a) Ferris needs to grow some - three indentations but no broken skin and (b) serious doubt cast on the ferris testimony) is a pretty mild disciplinary record compared to some.
Posted 23:22 02nd October 2012
NHSaints says...
Unlucky for him, he may be dirty sometimes but boy he is a good player...Haywood is very nearly as good so it'll be interesting to see how he goes with the rest of the first XV
Posted 18:43 02nd October 2012
rockman says...
I hope Hartley understands Karma!
Posted 14:39 02nd October 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@tha_mai I suspect that self-defence might be slightly less difficult to justify
Posted 08:42 02nd October 2012
tha_mai says...
Has he been cited? Repeat offender etc . . . was it a gouge, or did he manage to elbow himself in the face?
in other news . . . one from the other code and England player James Graham faces possibly the longest ban ever in Australia's rugby league for an ear-biting offence in the weekend's grand final. Interesting to see how their penalty compares to ones for biting offences in rugby.
Posted 01:02 02nd October 2012
ciaran1792 says...
if you could only understand the irony haha.
Posted 20:35 01st October 2012
kid_diablo says...
did he accidentally gouge himself this time?
Posted 17:49 01st October 2012
physiodan says...
I hope he hasn't been self gouging!
Posted 16:20 01st October 2012