Northampton Saints: Hartley’s focus on Nations
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SAINTS captain Dylan Hartley says the England players will have no problem putting the disappointments of the Heineken Cup behind them as they switch their focus to the Six Nations.
Hartley, along with seven other Saints players, joined up with the England Elite Player Squad in Leeds as they prepare for the Six Nations, while Ryan Lamb and Paul Doran-Jones are with the Saxons squad that will take on Ireland Wolfhounds on Saturday.
Hartley is looking forward to a new era under interim head coach Stuart Lancaster after the disappointment of the World Cup in New Zealand.
The campaign was blighted by off-the-field problems and was ended at the quarter-final stage by France.
English clubs have fared badly in Europe, with only one – Saracens – out of five making the quarter-finals.
Hartley suffered a European exit with Saints, but feels there will be no hangover for the Six Nations.
When asked how the England players will get over it, Hartley said: “Easily, it is all about Murrayfield, that is what we will be focusing on.
“This time round there has been a lot of talk about a new start for England, out with the old and in with the new, so I am really excited about it.”
Hartley was disappointed to tumble out of the Heineken Cup at the pool stage, the first time it has happened to Saints in three seasons.
“Early on in this competition we were there or thereabouts and a couple of decisions went against us,” he said. “Unfortunately we can’t affect that.
“Earlier in the competition we didn’t really step up, certainly Scarlets at home that really cost us. These are games where we played poorly but we still picked up losing bonus points, so on a different day we could have been somewhere else in this pool.
“But Munster have a home quarter-final and it is well deserved.”
Meanwhile, Saints boss Jim Mallinder says centre James Downey’s future is still undecided.
The Irishman, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, has been linked with a move back to Munster.
Downey, who will be 31 in March, joined Saints in 2007 when Mallinder took over and has been a mainstay of the side.
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