Twelve Tests and counting: Hartley sets sights on 2019
England’s captain reveals why he cannot afford to ease off as World Cup approaches
Last Tuesday at Browns Sports Complex in Vilamoura, 12 rugby balls were laid out in front of the 33-man England squad gathered there for a warm-weather Algarve training camp. Each ball represented one Test match. The first of them is against Argentina at Twickenham next Saturday. Ball two is Australia. Three, Samoa. The countdown to the 2019 Rugby World Cup has begun. By the time ball 12 has been put to one side, England will have completed a calendar year of Tests, signing off in South Africa next June. Dylan Hartley has every intention of still being involved, still being England captain, still in the mix for the World Cup challenge in Japan.
“I get up every morning hungry to get better and stay a part of this because I know that if I don’t meet fitness targets, strength targets, flexibility targets, my days could be numbered,” said Hartley. “I am constantly on it. I want to drive this team forward. I want to be involved with this squad, as a starter or finisher or squad member. To be part of it is huge because the countdown clock is on now. The games come thick and fast. We pictured it [the year ahead] by putting 12 balls out – 12 balls, 12 games. A visual picture helps. It is all going to go pretty quickly and then suddenly you are only a year out, so we need to make sure we give it our all in these weeks ahead and make the most of it. We can’t miss an opportunity, can’t take our eye off the first ball, Argentina. If we do, it’s all void.”
Hartley has defied critics, as well as a pockmarked disciplinary record, to keep himself at the heart of this England squad, setting the tone and earning coach Eddie Jones’s backing. A citing for supposedly dangerous conduct was thrown out last week, with Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder vehement in claiming that Hartley was being judged on reputation and not the deed.
“I’m happy it’s done and I had to trust the process,” said Hartley whose quest for self-advancement led him to resume the Northampton captaincy in order to hone his leadership skills.
“It was selfish but I wanted to practise the role week in, week out,” said Hartley who believes that he is fitter than ever but that more needs to come from him if he is to continue to serve England. First