Dylan Hartley set to attend disciplinary hearing on Wednesday

Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley is set to attend a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday after his red-card incident in the European Champions Cup encounter last week at Franklin's Gardens.

Hartley, who made his appearance in 51st minute of the game from the bench stayed only for six minutes after he was sent-off for performing a stiff arm-tackle on Leinster flanker Sean O'Brien.

O'Brien left the field and was assessed after he was hit behind from Hartley, who will now appear before an independent hearing on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old's troubled track record will not aid in the hearing as he is set to undergo a substantial ban.

In the probability of his ban being eight weeks, Hartley will miss England's Six Nations opening game against France on 4th February which will likely promote Owen Farrell to lead the side.

Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll insisted that Hartley should not have any complaint on the outcome of the hearing.

"It was incredibly reckless, a definite red card. There were no complaints from him, (Northampton director of rugby) Jim Mallinder, or most people," BT Sport rugby pundit O'Driscoll said.

"We just have to wait and see what the disciplinary hearing makes of it. He's tried to come on and make an impact, but even if it only catches his body, it's still a yellow card because a swinging arm is a swinging arm. You have to make an attempt to make a wrap.

"That was a swinging arm and it was cut and dried for me. I'm just surprised that certain people did see it that way, because I thought it was as clear cut as I've seen.

"It is the first time that Eddie has had to deal with ill-discipline in his tenure. Beforehand he inherited a guy with disciplinary issues but he was not the head man. Now he is, so it will be very interesting to see what comes of it.

"Dylan has been very good by the sounds of things, he has played well for England and they are on a massive winning streak, but your captain needs to be playing.

"Dylan needs game time too in the lead up to the Six Nations. It is very hard for any player to come straight into an international having been laid off for six to eight weeks."