Dylan Hartley banned for three weeks

Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley has been handed a three-week ban for elbowing Matt Smith in his side's match against Leicester Tigers on Saturday.

Hartley was shown a red card after just 17 minutes of the Aviva Premiership derby, with referee JP Doyle seemingly changing his mind from a yellow card after the television match official urged him to watch further replays.

The England international was in danger of missing the Six Nations tournament had he been handed a lengthy ban, but he will be eligible to play again on January 12.

The 28-year-old, who has 61 caps for his country, missed the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2013 through suspension, but will be available for the Six Nations, with England's first match not until February 6.

It is the latest in a long line of disciplinary problems for Hartley, who was given a 26-week ban for eye gouging in 2007 and an 11-week suspension for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes in the 2013 Premiership final, also against Leicester.

Despite his dismissal on Saturday, Northampton went on to beat their fierce rivals 23-19 and stay top of the Premiership table.