Dylan Hartley will become the third successive England captain to miss out on selection for the British and Irish Lions when Warren Gatland reveals his squad for the 10-match tour of New Zealand on Wednesday.

It is understood that the Northampton hooker’s hopes of what is all but certain to be his last chance to represent the Lions have been dashed following a final selection meeting between Gatland and his coaching staff on Tuesday afternoon.

Hartley, who was named in the original touring party for the Test series victory over Australia in 2013 but missed the tour after receiving an 11-week ban for abusing the referee in the Premiership final, lost out to Wales hooker Ken Owens in what is thought to have been the ­final decision at a three-hour ­selection meeting.

Hartley, 31, will become the latest high-profile omission from Eddie Jones’s squad despite England having suffered just one defeat in 19 Tests since the Australian replaced Stuart Lancaster in the wake of the 2015 World Cup disaster.