Rory Best on the time he got Dylan Hartley a reduced ban for elbowing him

Rory Best told us all that Dylan Hartley gets an unfair rap for his disciplinary record. He was then asked to talk about the time Hartley lamped him during a Heineken Cup in 2012.

The thing about having a hard-earned reputation is that it is, very often, hard-earned. You give it, you take it. Hartley has certainly taken it - 50 weeks' worth of suspensions and copped separate punishment for his part in some dwarf-tossing in 2011. Ahead of Ireland's Six Nations encounter with England on Saturday [4:50pm kick-off], Best expressed some sympathy for his rival captain. He said:

"He's a quality player. I've played against him a number of times and, whenever I have, I knew it was going to be a tough game. "... He has been given this massive honour of being named England captain but all anybody wanted to talk about at the Six Nations launch was his disciplinary record, instead of what a fantastic player and leader he is... That is the sort of player we should be talking about, in my opinion."

Best was then reminded of an incident in an Ulster vs. Northampton Saints game, three and a half years ago, when Hartley unloaded a couple of elbows in his face as they grappled on the deck. Best is obviously from the rugby school of thought where a good punch, thrown fairly and squarely, never truly harmed anyone. He commented;

"We were going pretty well at that stage in the game. "To be honest, when the hearing came up, I told [the disciplinary board] that there was nothing really in it. "It was just two combative players going at it. From my point of view that's what he is - combative."

In the end, Best's contribution led to Hartley receiving a mere rap on the knuckles and a two-week suspension. Keep an eye out for these two amid Saturday's blood and thunder.