Hardaker's inspired by his meeting with Greenwood

While Hardaker continues to set Super League alight with his club, who head into Easter at the top of the table, there is also already one eye on winning honours with England as well.

They face Samoa next month ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand at the end of the season and coaches organised for British Lions centre Greenwood – part of England’s famous side that lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in Sydney – to speak to them last week.

Hardaker, 25, said: “He was brilliant. He’s a bloke who’s done some incredible things; he won the World Cup in 2003 and some of his tales were quite funny while he said he used some rugby league tactics for that World Cup as well which was interesting.

“His overall views on how to go about things was interesting as was to meet the guy and speak to him. With it being the World Cup this year, I think they wanted us to try and tap into the mind of someone who’d done that.

“Will did speak about sacrifices and what we’d have to do as a team. It was great to hear from a proper legend.

“This job gives you many opportunities and things like that – going to Australia or meeting people like that – are really good.”

Blackburn-born Greenwood, who played alongside Jonny Wilkinson, Jason Robinson and Martin Johnson in Clive Woodward’s stellar side, is a big rugby league fan, the 44-year-old having been brought up in Lancashire.

He revealed the England rugby union side used a move for three years that he first saw with Hull KR while his favourite was one picked up watching Warrington Wolves one Friday night.

Greenwood was clearly watching last Thursday, too, as, following their 27-10 win at champions Wigan Warriors, he tweeted Hardaker and his Castleford and England colleague Luke Gale ‘Nice work up the middle tonight fellas. Too fast, too clever.’

That victory – a seventh from eight outings this term – was a fine way to mark Hardaker’s 200th career appearance.

Tigers host in-form Wakefield Trinity on Good Friday looking to strengthen their position at the top and he conceded their defence is proving the bedrock.

Head coach Daryl Powell labelled the Wigan win the “best yet” for that reason as they absorbed plenty of pressure from the World Club champions.

Hardaker, whose nine try assists so far are only matched by Huddersfield Giants’ Danny Brough, said: “In the first 15 minutes we really put things on our own back.

“We dropped the ball every time we came out of our own half so defensively I think that’s what was taken out of the game.

“We’re proud of that defence. I think we defended our way to victory in that one.

“Even though we’re scoring tries comfortably, probably in the first couple of games we still said we were really focused on our defence. That’s been a goal this year.

“I hope that Wigan game shows Castleford can score but defend as well.

“We’re really pleased and Daryl said that’s the best one for us. That’s probably because of our defensive effort.”

Some could say there are hallmarks there of the great Leeds Rhinos side with whom Hardaker won three Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge.

Hardaker, on a season-long loan from Headingley, said: “No, it’s totally different. I wish I could say yes but it’s difficult.

“All I can say is Leeds have been there or thereabouts for the last 10 years.

“Castleford? We’re trying to be the new team on the block, the top-four team everyone talked about at the start of the season.

“We’re in a transition and I’m just really pleased and humble to be involved it at the moment.

“Seven from eight is a great start. We’re just confident but not overly confident. We’ll keep grounded and working hard to turn up right on game day.”