Hartley signs new Saints deal, made captain

3:51 PM BST

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  ESPN Staff

England captain Dylan Hartley has been handed a contract extension and the captain's armband by Northampton Saints ahead of the coming season.

Hartley, 31, was captain at Franklin's Gardens between 2009 and 2015 and takes over from Tom Wood who was captain during last season.

"The decision to offer Dylan the captaincy is no reflection on how Tom Wood led the team last season," Director of rugby Jim Mallinder said. "Tom is an outstanding leader himself who is fully committed in training and in games each and every week, and he will remain an important part of the leadership group.

"But we felt that Dylan is in the right place both personally and professionally to be our captain once again. We're also delighted that he has signed a new contract to stay at Franklin's Gardens. Dylan has been one of the best hookers in Europe for several years and is hugely committed to the Saints."

"When Jim approached me about taking on the captaincy I was surprised," added Hartley. "For me, the timing is right and it is certainly a challenge I want to take on. I'm very passionate about the Saints and would love to see us competing for trophies. We have some valuable experience within the squad that will be driving the team forward this year."

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Hartley signs new Saints deal, made captain