O’Driscoll hits out at ‘mindless’ Hartley

England rugby captain Dylan Hartley’s latest red card could cost him the British and Lions captaincy with former skipper Brian O’Driscoll among his latest critics.

The New Zealand-born hooker was sent off in the 58th minute of the Northampton Saints’ European Challenge Cup loss to Leinster on Saturday.

He had only been on the field for six minutes before he was marched for a swinging arm which poleaxed likely Lions flanker Sean O’Brien.

Rotorua-raised Hartley, who has captained England to an unbeaten season including a Six Nations grand slam, has been roundly condemned with commentators questioning his suitability to lead the Lions tour of New Zealand next year.

O’Driscoll, who captained the last Lions team in New Zealand in 2005, issued a damning tweet.

‘‘Mindless from Hartley. Lions Captain ???? !,’’ O’Driscoll, a Leinster legend, said.

‘‘Anyone actually questioning the Hartley red card look at his reaction to it. Not a murmur of complaint from him. He knew what was coming.’’

O’Driscoll was reported to have suggested Wales lock Alun Wyn-Jones would make a better Lions captain.

England coach Eddie Jones buried his face in his hands after watching Hartley’s crude hit.

Respected rugby writer Robert Kitson said Hartley ‘‘could hardly have chosen a worse evening to revert from Saint to sinner’’.

‘‘One crude swinging arm is in danger of costing Dylan Hartley his immediate future as the England captain and any chance he had of leading the British and Irish Lions to New Zealand,’’ Kitson wrote in The Guardian.

Kitson said Hartley had ‘‘stiffarmed’’ O’Brien ‘‘from behind’’ and his ‘‘latest indiscretion not only left his club in the lurch but instantly shredded his reputation as a reformed character’’.

Hartley missed the 2013 Lions tour to Australia after being sent off in the English premiership final and a head butt on a Saracens opponent cost him a place in the 2015 World Cup team.

‘‘One moment of madness has propelled him back into the doghouse once more,’’ Kitson said.

Hartley’s Northampton coach Jim Mallinder expects the Kiwi to serve a lengthy ban and had no argument with the referee’s decision.

‘‘I think it was a red card,’’ Mallinder said.

‘‘He’s been playing really well and leading England by example so it was disappointing that on returning from England after doing such a good job that that happens.’’