Controversial hooker Dylan Hartley has been dropped from England's World Cup training squad after his latest disciplinary misdemeanor, the Rugby Football Union announced on Friday.

Hartley, who has 66 caps,  received a four-week ban on Wednesday for head-butting Jamie George of Saracens in Northampton's Premiership playoff match at the previous weekend.

The suspension would cut across England's warm-up matches in August and the opening World Cup fixture against Fiji, and coach Stuart Lancaster has decided to do without him.

Hartley's list of previous offences includes biting, ­gouging, swearing at a referee and elbowing and punching.