Dylan Hartley

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Few players score a Test try only three minutes after stepping off the bench but Dylan Hartley did with gusto when winning his twentieth cap, against New Zealand at Twickenham in November 2010. His thirtieth came nine months later when England beat Ireland 20-9 in the final preparatory match for the 2011 RWC.

The first of two new opportunities had beckoned Dylan when he made his initial starts against Argentina in June 2009 with Lee Mears on duty with the British & Irish Lions in South Africa.

Dylan had won all his previous nine consecutive caps, starting with the Pacific Islanders’ match in the autumn of 2008, off the bench for Lee.

A few weeks after returning from Argentina, Dylan was handed the responsibility of becoming the youngest captain in the Premiership when leading Northampton Saints in 2009-10. He continued that role with conspicuous success last season as his side reached the Premiership play offs and the Heineken Cup final. It rewarded his development and growing maturity.

When being appointed, he had made 89 club appearances and scored nine tries. That total had escalated to 147 games with another six tries along the way by mid January this year. He signed a new contract in February 2010 that will keep him at the club for the foreseeable future. Four months later, a cartilage operation on his left knee ruled him out of England’s tour to Australasia.

Now in his seventh season with the Saints, he made his first team debut in September 2005 while a member of the club’s senior academy and played 16 times in his maiden campaign, prompting Steve Thompson to switch to the back row.

Dylan had moved from his native New Zealand to England nine years ago, initially played for Worcester Warriors and at the early age of 19 became a member of the England U21 squad, showing the innate football ability and competitive attitude to succeed.

He had been initially called up for England U18 while staying with relatives in Crowborough and being involved with the local Sussex club. Educated at Rotorua Boys High School, he went on to cover all three England front row positions during the 2005 IRB World Championship in Argentina.

His next stop was England Saxons with appearances and tries against Italy A and Ireland A in 2007 and, in April the same year, even a sixth-month ban failed to deter him in his quest for the top. The following March, he celebrated his 22nd birthday two days after the Saints won promotion back to the Guinness Premiership and his international career was about to be launched.

International Record

5 points – 1T

2008 PI(R), A(R), SA(R), NZ(R) 2009 It(R), W(R), I(R), F(R), S(R), Arg (1,2), A(R), Arg, NZ 2010 W, It, I, S, F, NZ(R), A, Sam, SA 2011 W, It, F, S, I, W, I(R) World Cup - Arg(R), G, S(R), F(R) 2012 S, It

Last updated: February 13, 2012

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