Dingwall 'worth his weight in gold' for Saints and England

And the former Saints and England skipper is backing Dingwall to 'solidify his reputation' on the international stage this summer.

Dingwall was one of eight Saints players named in England's training squad on Tuesday morning.

The Red Rose face Test matches against Argentina and USA this summer.

Dingwall, who skippered Saints several times last season, is set to be a key presence for Steve Borthwick's side.

And Hartley has nothing but praise for a player he knows from his time at the Gardens.

"Fraser's often overlooked," Hartley said. "And I say this in the most respectful way because he's not overtly flashy, physically he’s not huge like an Ollie Lawrence. But for me he's the glue, he's the guy that brings it all together. And then you sprinkle on the captaincy piece as well. He is the wise head.

"At 18, 19 when he was in the academy, you gravitate to the young kids who have got a nice way about them. They're not shy, they're not meek, but they're quietly confident and respectful and ask good questions. Fraser's always been that guy.

"From a technical point of view and a tactical point of view, he pulls it all together. He makes it tick. But then from a leadership point of view, he pulls it all together. For me he is a guy that is worth his weight in gold.

"There's a book called 'The Captain's Class', and it refers to the Chicago Bulls team, Michael Jordan's team, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman. And there's a guy that you don't know, a guy no-one ever remembers called Bill Cartwright.

"That guy made it all work. He got the ball where it needed to be. He got the ball to Jordan. And it's the same with (Lionel) Messi. Someone passes the ball to Messi. Someone puts him in the best position.

"Granted that guy's probably paid millions of pounds, but he’s not on the back of everyone's shirt. No one's buying his shirt. I'm not saying that's Fraser, but he is the guy that makes it all work and gets the ball to Tommy Freeman, to George Furbank.

"This summer with England is his opportunity. This is a really good chance for him to solidify his reputation and his credit with Steve Borthwick. I really hope he does because he's a fantastic man."

Dylan Hartley was speaking in an interview with OLBG: https://www.olbg.com/bookmakers/articles/best-bookmakers-for-rugby-betting