Hartley red piles more pressure on Mallinder

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder is fighting to save his job.
Mallinder, who was once tipped as a potential England coach, saw Saints anchored at the bottom of Pool 4 in the European Challenge Cup after their 37-10 loss to Leinster at home on Friday night.
Saints, who are ninth in the Premiership after back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and Leicester, are also mired in controvery over their handling of George North’s head injury against Tigers – and saw captain Dylan Hartley sent off against Leinster for a swinging arm.
Saints parted company with attack coach Alex King in October after struggling to return to the heights of 2014 when they beat Saracens to be crowned Premiership Champions.
King is widely seen as the scapegoat for the failings of the side this season despite the high-profile arrival of France No.8 Louis Picamoles.
The Saints have struggled to replace King with a succession of names including, it is understood, Pat Lam turning them down.
A source told The Rugby Paper: “They are really struggling to replace Alex King who was thrown under the bus to save others. Coaches are reluctant to commit themselves rent regime as things stand.”
Mallinder is under contract until 2019. But should there be a change, former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is thought to be interested.
And former Leinster boss Matt O’Connor is also available after missing out on the Bristol job which went to Lam last week as predicted by The Rugby Paper.
Mike Ford could be available in the summer if Toulon opt not to renew his contract.
Former England boss Stuart Lancaster has also been named after he helped heap misery on Saints at Franklin Gardens as senior coach with Leinster.
Mallinder refused to defend Hartley after his sending off.  The England captain faces a six-week ban which would harm his Six Nations chances and possible selection for the Lions.
Mallinder said: “You can’t strike to the head. I think it was a red card.
“He’s been playing really well and leading England by example so it was disappointing on returning from England after doing such a good job that it happened.
“It didn’t cost us the game, we started badly, came back into it pretty well and we had just conceded a try (before he was sent off), so we were already a few points down.”
NEIL FISSLER