Castleford full-back Zak Hardaker has become the third Super League player to test positive for cocaine use in the last three months.

The 2015 Man of Steel failed a test after the Tigers’ game against his old club Leeds on September 8 and has been provisionally suspended by the Rugby Football League.

Another Castleford Man of Steel winner, Rangi Chase, tested positive for using cocaine after Widnes’ league game against Wakefield on July 14 and, along with Trinty’s Adam Walker, was suspended by his club a month later.

All three players, who have the right to ask for a B sample to be tested, are still awaiting the outcome of investigations by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), who carried out the testing.

Walker was subsequently withdrawn from Scotland’s World Cup squad and Hardaker was on Monday left out of England’s touring party.

Hardaker, 25, who has issued an apology for “an enormous error in judgement”, was dropped for Saturday’s Grand Final for what the Tigers said was a breach of club rules and the RFL on Monday revealed the drug-test failure.

In a statement issued through his club, Hardaker said: “I would like to apologise to my Castleford Tigers team-mates, the staff and all fans for my enormous error of judgement.

“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.”

Castleford say they were informed of Hardaker’s failed drugs test at 10am last Thursday and suspended the player immediately. They say official notification was delivered on Friday and, following discussions with the player on Sunday, the decision was taken to announce the result of the test on Monday.

An RFL spokesperson said: “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.”

Both the RFL and Castleford say they will make no further comment until the outcome of the case but Hardaker could be facing a suspension of up to two years if found guilty of using recreational drugs.

A UKAD spokesperson told Press Association Sport: “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. Each individual has a right to privacy.”

The spokesperson said that position would only change if a sanction was imposed.

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.

After an up-and-down career with Leeds and a brief loan spell with Australian club Penrith Panthers in the second half of the 2016 season, Hardaker enjoyed a return to his best form after joining Castleford, initially on loan.

He signed a permanent four-and-a-half-year deal in June after the Tigers paid a £150,000 transfer fee to Leeds and was named in the Super League Dream Team and runner-up to team-mate Luke Gale as 2017 Man of Steel.

Hardaker was recalled by England for the mid-season Test against Samoa and was a shoo-in for the World Cup until his latest misdemeanour.