Gatland wants Hook to speak up

And he has urged Hook, quiet and homely off the field, to become more demonstrative and commanding on it as Wales look to build on last weekend's 26-19 victory over England.

"He is a player with an enormous amount of potential and skill," said Gatland. "As a 10 I think he will get even better, but he needs to get a bit more vocal and dominate the game in terms of his demeanour on the field."

He added: "The fact he kicked his goals was as important as anything. If Wales had kicked their goals against Fiji at the World Cup they would have made the quarter-finals.

"I thought the skill he showed to create the try for Lee Byrne - the footwork, the slight of hand - was quite sensational."

The importance of Hook taking control has been heightened by the personalities around him, with Gavin Henson at inside centre also not renowned as an on-field bawler.

Inside him, scrum-half Mike Phillips is relatively inexperienced at Test level and Wales need Hook to direct operations with confidence.

The one asset England's rising fly-half star Danny Cipriani boasts in spades is a confidence to shout orders at his more senior players, something Phil Vickery believes has come from working closely with the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio.

Hook's performance at Twickenham may have helped turn the game for Wales and Carter himself has been quoted this week saying the Ospreys fly-half "can definitely be as good as me".

But it was not enough to save Hook from criticism as Gatland and Shaun Edwards delivered their blunt assessment of what was, in the main, a poor team display.