Zak Hardaker apologises to Castleford and fans after positive drugs test rules him out of England's World Cup squad

Castleford dropped the full-back for Saturday's Super League Grand Final for what they called a breach of club rules and he now faces a ban of up to two years if found guilty

Zak Hardaker tested positive for a banned substance earlier this season (Getty)

Zak Hardaker has apologised and insisted he never intended to cheat as he faces up to the prospect of a two-year ban after failing a drugs test

Castleford dropped the full-back for Saturday's Super League Grand Final for what they called a breach of club rules and the Rugby Football League has now revealed the player tested positive for a banned substance following the win over Leeds a month ago.

A statement confirmed: "The Rugby Football League can confirm that Zak Hardaker is provisionally suspended from all competition after it received notification from UK Anti-Doping that he had tested positive for a banned substance following a Super 8s game between Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos on September 8, 2017."

Hardaker, who will now miss England's World Cup campaign in Australia as a result of the positive test, apologised to his club and Tigers fans for what he calls an "enormous error of judgement".

"I would like to apologise to my Castleford Tigers teammates, the staff and all fans for my enormous error of judgement," he said. "I was given an opportunity by this great club and in what has been one of the most important weeks in its history, I have let everyone at the club down. For that, I truly apologise.

"Finally, I would like to make it clear that in no way did I, nor would I, ever take a substance with the intention of enhancing my performance."

UK Anti-Doping are not yet in a position to comment on the case and Castleford have yet to divulge any further details but Hardaker could be facing a suspension of up to two years if found guilty of use of recreational drugs.


 Hardaker was one of the stars of Castleford's season 
 (Getty Images)

"If an NGB (National Governing Body) decides to make an announcement, it is their prerogative but we would never divulge or discuss any individual athlete's data or personal details," a UKAD statement said. "Each individual has a right to privacy."

It is the latest episode in an eventful career for Hardaker, who was thrown out of England's squad during the last World Cup in 2013 for a breach of discipline.

League-winners Castleford clearly missed the 2017 Man of Steel runner-up and Super League Dream Team full-back on Saturday as they slumped to a shock 24-6 defeat to the Rhinos at Old Trafford to end their year on the lowest of notes.

Hardaker's omission is expected to pave the way for Jonny Lomax to reclaim the England number one jersey, even though he played stand-off for St Helens in the last month of the domestic season following the arrival of Australian full-back Ben Barba.

Lomax was arguably England's best performer in the 2016 Four Nations Series, but missed the mid-season Test against Samoa in Sydney through injury, when coach Wayne Bennett opted to play Warrington utility player Stefan Ratchford at full-back, with Hardaker chosen at centre.

Wigan's Sam Tomkins made a strong push for a recall after being dropped from the elite training squad during his injury-hit start to the year, but his club's failure to make the play-off semi-finals denied him one last chance to impress.

Lomax's Saints team-mate, hooker James Roby, is set for a recall after a two-year absence and there is likely to be a call-up for Warrington second rower Ben Currie, who played for Ireland in the last World Cup but has long been on England's radar.