Ex-England skipper Dylan Hartley forced to delay release of eagerly-awaited book
An unsuspecting victim of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown of rugby has been the eagerly-awaited launch of Dylan Hartley’s autobiography. As one of the sport’s most colourful characters in the modern era, New Zealand-born Hartley’s reflections on a 97-cap career with England were keenly anticipated given his various highs were accompanied by 60 weeks worth of bans for a variety of offences.
That lengthy rap sheet includes the Premiership final red card with Northampton for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes, which cost him his 2013 Lions tour place, and the Premiership semi-final headbutt on Jamie George, which cost him his place in the 2015 England World Cup squad.
Stricken by a long-standing knee injury, the 2016 Grand Slam-winning captain called time on his career with immediate effect last November in the week after England lost the 2019 World Cup final.
The plan for the early part of his retirement was to launch his book in May with the season in the northern hemisphere heading towards its climax, but the virus outbreak has now shelved that idea and knocked the release date back until next September.
Speaking in an interview with BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight, the 34-year-old explained: “Basically with the situation we find ourselves in now we agreed that it was insensitive. I didn’t want to be seen promoting something and there are bigger things going on in the world than me releasing a book at the moment.
“We knocked it back and when things we hope return to normal, hopefully we can have a bit of a launch and we’re going to have a read. I called it The Hurt, not because I am the victim, but I talk about the game and the physical and mental toll that I experienced throughout my career.
“The game hurts and there are not many players that leave the game intact physically. Personally, I have never really struggled (mentally) but I can see and I have had close friends that struggled with mental health so we tap into that in the book. I basically just tell a story about my journey into rugby, my journey through rugby. It’s very egotistical, it’s all about me.”
Having spent 14 years at Franklin’s Gardens, Hartley believes his ex-club Northampton have acted responsibly compared to some other Premiership clubs in handling the introduction of pay cuts across the board for players and coaches. “We have to look after our league, look after our clubs and look after the players. That is why the pay cuts is a really good idea,” he said.
“It’s not a pay cut for the sake of taking money from the players and staff. It’s literally a way to keep clubs afloat because the last thing we want is guys taking full pay and then clubs to go under. It’s a really shortsighted view from a playing point of view and that is why I know there is a lot of players on board the pay cuts. When it was sat down and explained to the players the guys had that understanding that it was more of a long term view.
“That was a really good way of doing it. I know the Saints did that. They incorporated the senior players in those discussions. When you have got understanding amongst your player group about the decisions for the cuts, it was a lot easier to take that news whereas I know some clubs got served a letter saying this is what is happening and obviously you get met with questions. I know Northampton did it in a really good way.”
Hartley also revealed that the indefinite suspension of the season results in the squad stripping bare the Northampton gym so that they could do some training in isolation.
“Being a professional sportsman cooped up in your house, not everyone is blessed with a garden. Some people are in apartments and things like that. Some of the guys are stir crazy and I know for a fact the conditioning staff are in regular contact with players. The whole gym has bee depleted of all the kit. All the guys went in there and pilfered everything.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments