Hartley ready for England - Wells

Hartley will be going on tour with England this summer (Getty)

Northampton's Dylan Hartley is ready to represent his country after overcoming his disciplinary problems, according to England forwards coach John Wells

The New Zealand-born hooker was given a six-month ban for gouging last year which destroyed his World Cup hopes.

But Hartley has been named on the bench for the first time for Sunday's clash with the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Wells thinks he has learnt his lesson: "He has matured as an individual and as a professional rugby player."

He added: "Hartley has been very impressive in training and he will step up when asked to do so.

There is still a physicality and an aggression about the way he plays, and we need those in English rugby John Wells on Dylan Hartley

"The important thing is to give him game time: he has not played for the last four weeks.

"I have spoken to him in the past about his discipline and he has worked on that at Northampton with [coach] Dorian West.

"He now plays in an organised and disciplined way. The rough edges have been eliminated from his game, but there is still a physicality and an aggression about the way he plays, and we need those in English rugby."

Hartley is set to make his Test debut against New Zealand in Auckland or Christchurch next month.