Northampton Saints head coach Jim Mallinder has admitted that Dylan Hartley deserved to see red during his side's 37-10 defeat to Leinster at Franklin's Gardens.
The England international was dismissed by referee Jerome Garces just six minutes after being brought off the bench on Friday for a stiff-arm strike on Sean O'Brien.
Another indiscretion for Hartley, in front of watching England boss Eddie Jones, shreds his growing reputation as a reformed character and will reportedly cost him the chance to skipper the British and Irish Lions next year.
Mallinder, who also saw George Pisi dismissed to leave his side down to 13 men, was unwilling to defend the 30-year-old after the match, telling reporters: "You can't strike to the head. We've seen enough of them over the last few weeks and I think it was a red card.
"Dylan has been playing really well and leading England by example, so it was disappointing on returning from England and doing such a good job that that happens.
"I wouldn't say it cost us the game. I think we started badly, came back into the game pretty well and we had just conceded a try, actually, so we were already a few points down. But I think when you go down to 14 men against such a quality side as Leinster then you're always going to be up against it."
Mallinder now expects Hartley to receive a hefty punishment, with the top-end ban for such a sanction being eight weeks.
Daniel Lewis
