Not often one feels too much sympathy for Dylan Hartley. He’s been in front of the dock more often than Norman Stanley Fletcher. A panto villain. But with seemingly different standards being applied across different competitions it’s just possible that he might have cause for complaint. This time.

Here’s his “headbutt” on Jamie George. A Glaswegian would classify it as a tickle rather than a full on Glasgow kiss.

The work of Mr. Madigan and Mr. McGrath…

Ça beau être un match amical contre les barbarians, le rucking et les coups de genou sont de mise. pic.twitter.com/s9sjvHY17D

— greub (@greub1) May 28, 2015

And, most notoriously, the dancing feet of Monsieur Yoann Huget. Who somehow was free to play again the following weekend. If this is not even deemed “reckless”, rugby is in trouble.

One might also hearken back to Paul O’Connell’s incident with Dave Kearney two years ago. We’ve been there and back with that one, but from the outside looking in one could certainly have raised eyebrows at the lack of a citing for that one too.

All of which leads me to today’s column for the Irish Times, published Wednesday June 3rd 2015. A few words on the importance of rugby discipline, and the Citing Commissioner’s Warning: another useful tool for rugby’s judiciary. It’s what Owen Farrell received after his challenge on Bath’s Anthony Watson early in last weekend’s Aviva Premiership finalⁱ.

It’s not so long ago that rugby discipline was a messy business. Tit for tat citings. Or none, depending on what nod and wink might have been exchanged by the blazers. With independent citing commissioners and more clearly defined disciplinary procedures the sport of rugby union has come a long way. But with different competitions having seemingly different standards of enforcement has it come far enough?

England’s New Zealand born hooker Dylan Hartley is an easy target. With a career total of 54 weeks of playing suspensions, including biting and gouging, the civilian equivalent of a report involving the Northampton front row and club captain might well contain the words “well known to the authorities”. Yet Hartley might, compared with players in other tournaments, have cause for complaint.

Hartley’s latest ban – four weeks for what was deemed to have been a head-butt in an Aviva Premiership semi-final loss to eventual champions Saracens – would have ruled him out of competitive action until England’s second game of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. As a result national coachStuart Lancaster has taken out his morality broom and Hartley is now surplus to requirements.

That’s Lancaster’s call, and kudos to the RFU for having the gumption to set down such a punishment in a World Cup year…

Read more: http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/andy-mcgeady-disciplinary-measures-must-be-applied-in-a-consistent-manner-1.2235163