• Director of rugby denies reports that player is to retire• Former
England captain still set on returning to action
Northampton have not given up hope of former England captain Dylan Hartley playing for them again but cannot put a date on the hooker’s return from a knee injury he suffered 11 months ago.
There have been reports that the 33-year old Hartley, who has won 97 caps and was in line to lead England in the
World Cup before his injury, is in talks with Northampton about ending his career, but the club’s director of rugby Chris Boyd said that the front rower was still set on returning to action.