Jim Mallinder & Northampton are far from happy.

Dylan Hartley has had a citing complaint against him dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today.

Hartley was cited by the match Citing Commissioner Douglas Hunter for striking Clermont prop Rabah Slimani in their Champions Cup tie over the weekend. Hartley was shown a yellow card by referee Ben Whitehouse on the day, with the committee ruling that was the right decision, and that a red card was not warranted.

Northampton Saints have since issued the following statement in response to the outcome, suggesting Hartley has been unfairly singled out due to his poor disciplinary record.

“The decision to cite Dylan from Saturday’s game against Clermont was unjustified. This was a run-of-the-mill rugby incident during a high intensity game of European rugby.” Saints’ director of rugby Jim Mallinder said

“Anyone who watched the game could see that this was completely accidental – a misjudgement at a clear–out, plain and simple. When we should be preparing for a crucial league game against Wasps this Saturday, we have instead been distracted by what we believe was an unwarranted judicial hearing.”

“Citings like this do beg the question of whether Dylan is being singled out for what has happened in the past rather than being judged solely on Saturday’s game.”