'In an England changing room, people don't talk about salaries. It's not a known thing'
Former England captain Dylan Hartley would be “shocked” if any of Saracens’ players prioritised the battle for Gallagher Premiership survival over appearing in the Six Nations.
That was the prospect raised by Eddie Jones after the English and European champions were docked 35 points and fined £5.36million for breaching salary cap regulations.
Saracens supplied six starters for the recent World Cup final and while the club state that players with international ambitions will continue to have their blessing, Jones fears they might suffer from conflicting loyalties.
But the recently retired Hartley, who in 2016 led England to their first Grand Slam for 13 years, insists Tests rugby is too big a draw to turn down.
“You try and find me a player who doesn’t want to play for his country. I’d be shocked if the Saracens players weren’t playing for England,” Hartley, who is a spokesperson for N-Pro headguards, told the PA News Agency.
“Your club is your bread and butter, but no club would hold back a player. And when you’ve got 10 or 12 of those players, you might need them!
“It would be a brave decision not to play because then you open the door to someone else. It’s almost like that decision you make at the end of the season not to tour and I’ve done that because of injury.
“It would be a bold decision to choose not to play for England and personally I can’t see it happening.”
Canterbury and the Lions have launched a splendid grassroots initiative after agreeing on a kit deal for the 2021 tour to South Africa https://t.co/LlT1o67YQA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 20, 2019
Jones is also concerned he may have to heal any rift between his Saracens contingent and players from disgruntled rival clubs when the squad gathers for Six Nations preparations in January.
But Hartley said: “It’s not a players issue. As a player, I would want my team-mates to get what is best for them and their family because the game is hard and takes its toll.
“We retire but don’t have enough money to retire professionally. We retire from rugby but still have bills to pay. So I would encourage every player to do what’s right by them and theirs and get what’s owed to them.
Canterbury and the Lions have launched a splendid grassroots initiative after agreeing on a kit deal for the 2021 tour to South Africa https://t.co/LlT1o67YQA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 20, 2019
“It’s the powers that be who must understand where the cap is and how they allocate their money. It’s not the players.
“The Saracens players have done what’s right by them, so I don’t see it as their problem. I can’t imagine they were aware of it.
“In an England changing room, people don’t talk about salaries. It’s not a known thing.”
Saracens have not appealed against the sanctions imposed for breaching the salary cap for the last three seasons and now face a desperate battle for Premiership survival.
Hartley said: “There have been murmurs for a long time, so I’m not surprised.
“I’ve cheated and done things and you take a slap on the wrist and do your time. Them accepting the points deduction and fine is them saying that.
Tom Curry's forever pain after England's World Cup final losshttps://t.co/6jVfvUDoCD
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 20, 2019
“Speaking from a personal point of view I don’t like talking about it, entertaining it and dragging it out.
“When I did something, it was like ‘I’ve done that, it’s there to see, now I’m doing my time so leave me alone’. But when I retired, everyone brings that stuff up again.
“So they’ll probably have to deal with that tag for years now, which probably leaves a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths.”
Hartley was speaking as an advocate for N-Pro headguards, the only protective headwear capable of reducing impacts by up to 75 per cent.
They are the first of their type to be approved for trial by World Rugby and Hartley said: “As a training aid, why would you not use it every day to reduce risk?
“I think you’ll start to see more and more people start to wear these now. We need to keep that raw gladiatorial quality that makes rugby interesting, but also make sure we can do everything we can to protect people playing the game at all levels.”
The N-Pro is the first headguard to be approved for global trial by World Rugby with the aim of reducing the risk of head injury. Visit www.n-pro.com
– PA
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments