And ahead of Sunday’s Twickenham clash with the Auld Enemy, Scotland coach Andy Robinson claimed Hartley ‘milked penalties’ and opposite number Ross Ford accused him of sledging.

Hartley responded to Gatland by starring as England ran out 29-16 winners in the competition’s curtain raiser, and the 24-year-old has his sight sets on doing the same thing to Scotland.

“I feel I've made quite a significant step as a Test player, I've removed a question mark,” said the Northampton captain.

“To go down to Wales and do what we did there gave me self-confidence. It showed everyone I can do it.

“Every line-out people wanted to see me miss, people wanted to see me crumple. People wanted to see me get carded.

“There weren't too many people saying good things. I read it. I saw it.

“That was as much pressure on a personal level as I'd ever had. It was good to come through it and I feel proud I turned it into a big positive.

“Every team we've played against hates us and want to beat us so passionately. We expect it from every team now.

“I think Wales will be very competitive. As a player I get people coming for me a lot of the time so it's not too hard for me to understand it.

“As a team we take it on the chin and we're happy with how things are going.”