Dylan Hartley emerges as leading contender to replace Chris Robshaw as England captain

New England head coach Eddie Jones has not made a definitive decision on Robshaw’s future

Dylan Hartley is among the candidates to lead the side under the new coach Eddie Jones (Getty Images)

Dylan Hartley has emerged as the leading contender if Eddie Jones decides to replace Chris Robshaw as England captain.

New England head coach Jones has not made a definitive decision on Robshaw’s future, but if he does replace him as captain then Hartley is now seen as the primary candidate to take on the role.

Being awarded the captaincy would mark a stunning redemption for Hartley, who was left out of Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad after receiving a four-week ban for headbutting Saracens’ Jamie George during last season’s Premiership semi-finals. It was the latest in a series of on-field misdemeanours for Hartley, but Jones is thought to be impressed by his abilities both as a player and leader, with his combative nature also seen by the Australian as a positive.

Jones is also thought to have been impressed by the full-back Mike Brown and he could be a contender for the role, although he is more likely to be named vice-captain in Jones’ new-look set-up. There are few other standout candidates if Jones does decide to replace Robshaw, although Ben Youngs, Joe Launchbury and Maro Itoje would all be contenders.

Hartley has the most leadership experience of those men, having captained Northampton for six years until this summer, when he relinquished the role in order to concentrate on his own game.

Hartley is also closing in on a return to action, having missed the last six weeks with concussion, but he is expected to be fully fit for England’s first game under Jones, which is at Murrayfield against Scotland in the Six Nations on 6 February.

Hartley’s run-ins with the rugby authorities

• April 2007 Handed 26-week suspension after eye-gouging the Wasps pair James Haskell and Jonny O’Connor 
• March 2012 Banned for eight weeks for biting Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris in Six Nations
• Dec 2012 Two-week ban after hitting Ulster  hooker Rory Best 
• May 2013 Sent off in the Premiership final for verbally abusing a match official and banned for 11 weeks – missing the Lions tour
• Dec 2014 Three-week ban after elbowing Matt Smith of Leicester
• May 2015 Four-week ban for headbutting Saracens’ Jamie George. Missed World Cup.

Whether or not he retains the captaincy, Robshaw will have every chance of making Jones’ starting XV for the game at Murrayfield – although possibly at blindside flanker rather than openside. The Harlequins man has worn the No 7 shirt throughout his England career but has played well for his club on the other flank recently, and may fulfil the same role for his country.

It is also thought that Jones is looking to add two more coaches to his back-room staff. England are facing the threat of a legal battle with Bristol over Steve Borthwick, whom Jones wants to be his forwards coach, while Paul Gustard is expected to arrive as defence coach from Saracens by the end of the week.

Jones himself intends to oversee England’s attack but he also wants to bring in a backs coach, with the Australian expected to meet Northampton’s Alex King in the coming days. But Jones is also keen to appoint a scrum coach. Graham Rowntree took on that role within his job as forwards coach under Stuart Lancaster, but Jones employed Marc Del Maso as a specialist scrum coach in his Japan set-up, in which Borthwick was forwards coach.

Meanwhile, it is also thought that Jones met Stuart Lancaster, his predecessor, for lunch today. Lancaster resigned after England’s pool stage exit from the World Cup, with his three assistant coaches – Andy Farrell, Rowntree and Mike Catt – all being relieved of their positions by Jones this week.