Dylan Hartley let the team down - Jim Mallinder

Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder stated that England captain Dylan Hartley has let his team down following a six-week ban to the hooker after last week's European Champions Cup encounter against Leinster.

The 30-year-old was sent off in the 57th minute of the game after his stiff arm tackle on Leinster flanker Sean O'Brien leaving Northampton Saints down to 14 men for the rest of the game. The pressure eventually got to Franklin's Garden outfit, who conceded three more tries after that and lost the game 10-37.

After appearing in front of an independent disciplinary hearing on Wednesday evening, Hartley was slammed with a six-week ban for his action which means he will be missing the next six games for Northampton Saints but will be available for England's Six Nations opener in February next year.

"Dylan's letting the team down. He let the team down at the weekend. Any time you have a sending off and it's a disciplinary matter, you're letting the team down," Mallinder told BBC Radio Northampton, shortly before the six-week ban was announced.

"Dylan has had a lot of criticism. I can't say I'm not frustrated about it because clearly I am. The team lost a player at 50-odd minutes when we thought we were in the game.

"We've also lost him for the next few weeks when Mike Heywood really needs a rest. The team is struggling a bit and we need some leadership from our senior players and we've lost that over the next few weeks.

"We're frustrated about that, but Dylan Hartley is part of Northampton Saints. We've supported each over the last 10 years and will continue to do so."

The latest sanction on Hartley has taken the total number of suspension weeks in his career to 60.