Hartley handed three-week ban

Dylan Hartley has been handed an RBS 6 Nations reprieve after receiving a three-week ban for his red card for elbowing Leicester centre Matt Smith.

The England hooker pleaded guilty to the charge of striking in a disciplinary hearing held via conference call on Tuesday evening.

A ban of six weeks or more would have jeopardised both Hartley’s Six Nations chances and his future Test career in light of a previous disciplinary rap sheet including eye-gouging, biting, punching and swearing.