England head coach Stuart Lancaster has revealed that he plans to hold talks with Dylan Hartley over his disciplinary record.
The Northampton Saints hooker was handed a three-week suspension after elbowing Leicester Tigers' Matt Smith last month.
It is the fifth time that Hartley has received a ban in his career, including an 11-week spell in the stands in 2013 after he was found guilty of abusing a match official.
A similar incident later in the season could see the 28-year-old miss out on this year's World Cup on home soil, with Lancaster admitting that he needs to have a conversation with one of his star players.
"I have not spoken to Dylan. I did not want to do anything until the disciplinary process was followed through, and obviously he has a ban to serve," he told reporters.
"He knows as much as anyone the importance of on-field discipline. He will have been disappointed in himself to put himself in that position. I will have a conversation with him."
England return to action in February when the Six Nations gets underway.
Daniel Lewis
