Rugby League World Cup: England welcome Stuart Pearce and thump Greece

We had a special visitor in the build-up to our final group-stage game, as former England football captain Stuart Pearce addressed us all at camp.

He was brilliant - really direct in his message. They showed a video of him playing and a lot of his highlights were just folding people. He could obviously play but he was fierce. That's why he was nicknamed 'Psycho'.

As head coach Shaun Wane said, he had a rugby player's mind in a footballer's body. He's a Warrington fan as well so I had a brief chat with him after.

What you do find is across whatever sport it may be there are always paths that cross - whether it be hard work or dedication, you can relate in some way.

It's always good to hear different tales and upbringing. His story was good - he was a late bloomer and within 12 or 18 months he was playing for England.

Leading the team, leading by example

I got to emulate Stuart in rugby league terms with a first Test captaincy against Greece, with Sam Tomkins rested for the final group game.

I had that little taste in the friendly against Fiji which I was blown away by, but this topped it - a Test match, a World Cup, family there in the stands. It was really, really special.

I'll definitely be framing that shirt and putting it in my house somewhere. Everyone was swapping but I had to keep hold of mine.

I didn't go about the week any different to how I usually would. I'd speak when I'd normally speak and just try to lead by actions.

I didn't want to get carried away by the 'captain' next to my name. I just wanted to be myself, because I felt the reason Waney probably gave me it anyway was from being myself.

There's no need to try to be something else anyway, we've got a wide group of characters.

We have a bit of an open floor in the dressing room just before a game, so as captain I'll just say what I normally would, speak about 'with the ball' and what we'll do to try to beat the opposition.

It's different with England because most of the players in the squad are 'leaders' at their clubs, so everybody's got a bit of an input which is great really because we've got more than one voice.

Even when Sam Tomkins is captain, I'll speak, Chris Hill will speak, Victor Radley will speak, Elliott Whitehead, John Bateman - we've got leaders everywhere.

And, I've lost both coin tosses so far, so I'm 0-2 in coin tosses but 2-0 in wins. I'll take that!

Greece thumped, now on to the quarters

Greece might have been well beaten, but they put up a fight against England

It was a strange old game to be honest. We started pretty well, then we had a bit of a flat patch in which I'll pay credit to Greece, but to win 94-4 probably shows where we're at - we're creating chances.

We did play some good stuff and scored some nice tries, but Waney is a perfectionist and will look at how we can improve.

We know what we're good at and we showed that in plenty of parts of the game but there are still things we need to nail and scratch out if we're going to beat the bigger teams.

We've been brilliant as a group so it's unfair to pick out individuals but I have give a shout to Hilly. He's in form big time, he's been massive around the group and he's a leader who speaks.

This is his third World Cup for England so he knows what it's all about. He's playing really well for us and so are all our middles - it doesn't matter who comes on, they're all doing a job.

It was 'job done' for us. We're not getting too carried away. The real stuff starts now with knockout football.

We're playing Papua New Guinea at Wigan in the quarter-finals, and while I'm 100% committed to Warrington as a player, it's a place that will always hold a special place for me. It's a pitch and place I'm very familiar with.

Wigan was my boyhood club coming through - I followed them home and away, was a ball-boy for them and managed to live my dream playing for the club for a number of years.

Going back there will always be special, but to play for England there too - I've never done that before. That will be amazing for me.

Footwear controversy in the cryochamber

Herbie Farnworth: "Good looking lad" but "stupid" footwear taste

One of the things which seems to divide the lads is part of the recovery - the cryochamber. I'm somewhere in the middle.

It's -140C and we've got to get in there for a couple of minutes, which isn't brilliant!

You wear shorts, put a hat on, some Crocs and some socks and gloves. It's a bit of a weird outfit. Two or three minutes of that.

Speaking of Crocs, Herbie Farnworth wears them around the place anyway. Shockers. I can't agree with them.

Of the Aussie-based lads, I've not really seen Victor's outfits but his don't seem too bad. Herbie is in between; he's got his English style but then wears them around the place anyway. Mind you, he's a good-looking lad so he'll be all right.

Catalans second-rower Mike McMeeken wears them too.

I've watched quite a bit of the rest of the World Cup - when we're in camp we've got a team room and it's always on in there so I'll stick around and watch it.

But when I've been away and with the family I'd rather just forget about rugby a bit, so I'll check the scores and watch the highlights.

You've got to find a balance somewhere.

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