Hartley must be next England captain!

[G.K]

A Kiwi thug as England captain?

This just demonstrates, yet again, how low England have stooped. Foreign coach, Kiwi thug as captain. Callous Clark should be a shoe in then?

Is it all an Aussie plot?

[DickyP]

A Kiwi thug as England captain?

This just demonstrates, yet again, how low England have stooped. Foreign coach, Kiwi thug as captain. Callous Clark should be a shoe in then?

Is it all an Aussie plot?

Best pick DH as captain now whilst he's got time to really mess up and get rid of him before it matters!

Apart from temperament the worst aspect of him being captain and therefore picked as hooker would be Ben Youngs deprived of his brother as a safety-valve he can count on to gain metres when he has to get rid of the ball in a hurry.

[Flash]

The captaincy didn't exactly improve his domestic disciplinary record so I'm not exactly sure of the logic they're using.

[ellis9]

Hartley isn't even the best English hooker so how he can the 1st name on the team sheet as he would be as captain, is beyond me!

[Maidman]

So there are a few downsides to Dylan, but there are a few positives too . . . .

He will bring a bit more aggression to the role of captain, and has a better understanding of the game than Robshaw does. I think his decision making will be better than Robshaw.

And at 29, I doubt he will be in the role for long. Just keeping it warm for Itoje.

As discussed earlier in the thread, not a lot of choice, and certainly no obvious choice.

I wonder how the rest of the squad will feel about it?

[Sajerj]

I would have liked to see Jamie George get a decent run out in the six nations. Hartley's appointment, if true, would seem to limit that.

Judging by Jones' comments during the RWC, one would assume that TY's has some convincing to do with his new International coach.

[loretta]

Does anyone know when TY contract will come up for renewal?

As far as I can see, his chances to be England number 1 hooker have now gone. With that in mind, an oversees contract would look a lot more attractive.

[Cagey Tiger]

So, it looks like Eddie Jones is going to satisfy both schools of thought about choosing a captain - some want a single person chosen and others want different captains for different matches. With Hartley, we get both .

One person has been chosen, and when, not if, he gets banned, we get to see others. Good thinking

[biffer]

On the other hand, both the replacement hooker and the vice captain will enter every match knowing that they're likely to get a lot more time to contribute.

This is hilarious and I'm looking forward to it going explosively wrong.

[murphy15]

*If true* I'm sure there were some pretty blunt conversations about discipine before the captaincy announcement. DH has a poor record, yes, but then so does Manu Tuilagi - and I doubt anyone on here would complain if he was in the next England squad. He's an experienced captain and while perhaps not as effective as Youngs in the loose, he's a much more solid player at both varieties of set piece, especially the scrum, our traditional stronghold, in which we struggled badly during the WC. I would imagine he's on his very last warning. Launchbury would be a good choice but he's too green at the moment, Robshaw simply can't stay as Captain when he isn't good enough to justify his place anywhere in the back row (same goes for Tom Wood), Dan Cole is too quiet, and Ed Slater, while being a fantastic leader, may not even be in the squad (and if he is, there is huge competition in either position he would play in - not least of all from Tom Croft).

Perhaps DH is the only viable option, despite being a bit of a risk.

[RagingBull]

Does anyone know when TY contract will come up for renewal?

As far as I can see, his chances to be England number 1 hooker have now gone. With that in mind, an oversees contract would look a lot more attractive.

He signed a long term deal last season I believe. So prob ends 2017/18 season (I think).

[AlphaWiseOwl]

Hartley will be just a stop-gap appointment surely. He will get the red mist, probably in his first few games, throw a punch, elbow someone, eye gouge another and eventually somebody will have the guts to actually implement the many final warnings he has had. When you deal with bad behaviour you have to carry out any promised sanctions. If you don't, then the naughty children soon realise that your threats are hollow. Don't worry guys, Hartley will implode - as he always does and England will (hopefully) move on without him.

[biffer]

Hartley will be just a stop-gap appointment surely. He will get the red mist, probably in his first few games, throw a punch, elbow someone, eye gouge another and eventually somebody will have the guts to actually implement the many final warnings he has had. When you deal with bad behaviour you have to carry out any promised sanctions. If you don't, then the naughty children soon realise that your threats are hollow. Don't worry guys, Hartley will implode - as he always does and England will (hopefully) move on without him.

If he implodes at Murrayfield in February that would be very welcome.

[Grimlish]

So, to avoid picking a captain who isnt particularly outstanding in his position Jones is going to pick a captain who isnt particularly outstanding in his position?

What's more there's the question of respect from the captain's team-mates. 'There are two things you need to win a game of rugby,' said Jones. 'You need talent and you need cohesion. There is plenty of talent in England, so you've got to work on cohesion.'

I make that 0 out of 2 on the big calls so far Mr Jones.

[G.K]

'Tis all an Aussie plot I tell ye.