DYLAN WILL BE A BIG HIT
Exeter’s Baxter backs Hartley for captain
ENGLISH rugby’s highest- flying coach believes making Dylan Hartley national captain could prove a masterstroke.
While the prospect of promoting the serial offender to England skipper has not met with universal approval, Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter says the 29-year-old Hartley is a thoroughly viable candidate.
‘If Eddie Jones is comfortable he can manage Dylan Hartley and bring the best out of him I haven’t got an issue with that,’ said Baxter. ‘ Every coach has to run with the captain they personally feel comfortable with. Whatever reasons those are. He obviously feels comfortable with Dylan.’ The Northampton hooker has a grim disciplinary record which includes a three-week ban for butting at the end of last season that saw him miss the World Cup.
But Baxter countered: ‘Dylan has not got a bad disciplinary record with England. He was probably a bit unfortunate because that incident was an on-field incident with Northampton.
‘It’s not as if he’s been out on a Friday night and beaten up a granny. It was an on-field thing and the truth is with a lot of playthe suggestion that England’s ers — particularly guys who pack has developed a soft play their best when they are underbelly in recent years, but right on the edge — you are he does believe Jones’ players going to get the odd issue now need to be given the freedom and again. It’s about whether he affords his own Exeter team you feel confident enough as a to play what they see in front coach to manage through that of them. scenario. If he does, then fan‘It’s a bit odd to say the Engtastic. I haven’t got a problem land forwards Stuart Lancaswith that at all.’ ter selected haven’t had a hard
While Jones has made no edge and a bit of spark and public comment on Chris character about them because Robshaw’s future as skipper, I think they have,’ said Baxter, other than to say the pair have who said he had no knowledge met for coffee, it appears likely of any move to bring his highlyhe will turn to Hartley in a bid rated attack coach Ali Hepher to add a spikier edge to Enginto the England fold. land’s Six Nations assault. ‘Guys like Joe Marler, Tom
Baxter gives short shrift to Youngs are big physical tough guys. Courtney Lawes maybe hasn’t expressed it for England in the last year or two but when he is on fire for Northampton he’s probably one of the scariest defenders in the world.
‘When Billy Vunipola is flying around you can’t say he is not a tough guy to handle. I don’t think it’s right to say “pick an edgier, nastier pack”.
‘Is it for Eddie to give them a bit more of a free rein to go out and express themselves? Well potentially. Maybe that’s more the issue. It’s about the mindset they want to go in with as much as the selection of individual players.’