DYLAN HARTLEY has been confirmed as England captain for the Six Nations by manager Eddie Jones.
Hartley had been sweating over his position as the main man in the England side after he was banned for six weeks for a high tackle while playing for Northampton Saints.
But he has now been given the backing of manager Jones to lead the country in their bid to retain the Grand Slam in this year’s tournament.
Hartley’s path to the top of English rugby has been anything but conventional.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Hartley decided to follow his English heritage as a teenager and chase a white jersey, moving himself to England as a 16-year-old.
Building a successful career as Northampton and now England captain, his journey has not been without its bumps.
Having gained a reputation as a tough enforcer, the hooker has massed a lengthy disciplinary record, causing some pundits to write him off as a thug. Here’s the truth about Dylan Hartley.
How old is Dylan Hartley? Where was he born?
Dylan was born March 24 in 1986, so is currently 30.
He was born just outside the New Zealand city of Rotorua, but qualifies to play for England through his English mother.
He attended Rotorua Boys’ High School alongside future All Black Liam Messam, and Italian fly half Kelly Haimona.
When did Dylan Hartley come to England?
As a 16-year-old, Hartley had already decided his career path – he was going to follow his dream and honour his family heritage by playing rugby for England.
After making contact with a touring Sussex county team, Hartley arranged to move to England in 2002 to live with his aunt and uncle in Crowborough, East Sussex.
Playing for the local rugby team, Hartley then managed to get into the Beacon Rugby Academy.
Which club teams has Hartley played for?
After graduating from the Beacon Academy, Hartley represented Sussex and England U18 before moving to the Worcester Warriors academy in 2004.
He featured just a handful of times for Worcester, and in 2006 signed for the Northampton Saints senior academy.
Hartley has been at Northampton ever since, making over 200 appearances for the club.
When did Hartley become England captain?
The hooker was handed the captaincy of England’s national side in January 2016, shortly after Eddie Jones took over as coach.
Hartley replaced Chris Robshaw following his nation’s embarrassing exit in the pool stages of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
What is Dylan Hartley’s disciplinary record?
A major blight on his career, the 30-year-old’s disciplinary record is anything but short.
Most recently banned for six weeks for a swinging arm in December, Hartley has been banned for a total of 60 weeks throughout his professional career.
Here is a full rundown of his rap sheet:
April 2007: Eye-gouging, 26-week ban
March 2012: Biting an opponent’s finger, eight-week ban
December 2012: Punching, two-week ban
May 2013: Verbally abusing referee, 11-week ban
December 2014: Elbowing opponent in the face, three-week ban
May 2015: Headbutting, four-week ban
December 2016: Swinging arm contact with the head, six-week ban
What is Dylan Hartley’s salary?
While the exact figure remains undisclosed to the public, the Northampton captain’s club wage allegedly sees him take home around £500,000 annually (before tax).
On top of his club contract, Hartley also receives a significant lump-sum under England’s Elite Player Squad agreement.
For the 2016 Six Nations alone, Hartley would have received £15,000 per match, as well as a share of the £600,000 Grand Slam bonus – totalling around £116,000.
He would have then received a £15,000 match payment for each subsequent time he featured for England.
Who is Dylan Hartley’s partner? Do they have children?
Hartley welcomed the birth of his first child with long-term partner Joanne Tromans in August 2015, daughter Thea.
The England captain has been described by Tromans’ father Barry as a “proud dad” and great “family man”.
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