Talk to Larder now and he sees an urgent need for England to rediscover some of the ways of that all-conquering team of Johnson’s. The upcoming Six Nations will have Sinfield as England defence coach with Mike Forshaw, another former rugby league player, embarking on the same job for Wales. France have the inimitable Shaun Edwards and Farrell is at the helm of Ireland. 'I'd never coached anyone as big as Martin Johnson' As the importance grows during the Premiership, getting a specialist into the team like Phil gives the players so much confidence. Sinfield had a stint in rugby union playing for Yorkshire Carnegie at the end of his playing career but has never coached in the 15-a-side game.

And it was also their characters; both very tough guys with the ability to get respect from those around them. I read somewhere that Owen Farrell seems to have the same skills. It’s just something that some people have. I think it’s more innate than learned.” Being at Leicester is a little bit different but I tend to stay down one or two nights a week. It allows me to get a lot of work done during the evenings and spend some time with the other coaches who stay down here as well. We’re able to talk shop, so it’s been a really enjoyable journey so far for me. I came here for the challenge and I certainly got one.

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Larder taught at Saddleworth School for 16 years, becoming Head of Physical Education before leaving in 1982. Right-wing Elliott wasn’t far behind on 446 games in which he amassed 153 tries (many of them created by his centre Larder), equating to 459 points.

He is also a firm advocate of the specialist No 7, and was mystified by Matt Kvesic’s early cut from England’s squad last summer ahead of the World Cup – “Something must have happened there,” he says. He scored for Sheffield in their famous Wembley triumph of 1998 before playing for Halifax, Salford and his boyhood club Hull Kingston Rovers.

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Larder’s pedigree in the game is vast after playing rugby union at centre for Broughton Park in Manchester and then Sale Sharks. He then transferred to rugby league, playing for home town club Oldham and later Whitehaven. Even his current role at the Rhinos is more centred on overseeing the club’s performance department as opposed to actual coaching. I had always asked my players to look in the mirror and to analyse their own performances before coming into the review session, so I also looked at my own coaching performance. Larder also worked on the coaching staff at Leicester for four years between 1998 and 2002 during a golden era when the club won numerous Premiership and European titles.

Will Greenwood was the perfect type of player in this position, very helpful to Jonny Wilkinson’s decision-making but also with sublime handling skills.

The No 12 position has been a bone of contention since Will Greenwood retired more than a decade ago, and Larder agrees that it’s fundamental to how Jones’s England will operate. Template: Eddie Jones would like to emulate the qualities that took England to glory (Pic: Getty Images) When we reached the final and beat Australia in Sydney, I had the opportunity to redeem myself. As a result Clive was knighted and I received the MBE.” Lions Record: Team Doctor for his fourth successive tour having previously toured in 1993, 1997 and 2001.

The trend does not appear to be slowing either, and it could increase if Ireland lift the World Cup. Most league coaches are hired specifically to improve defences, a point emphasised by the fact three of the quarter-finalists in the World Cup have a league coach in that role: Forshaw, Sinfield and Edwards. Look at the way they create numbers against defences that are well organised. That’s what rugby league players have to do every day. He’s really driving things forward in terms of a new approach and style.”

Larder, who coached England at the 1995 World Cup and then took charge of Great Britain for the 1996 tour to New Zealand, will work alongside the club’s existing coaches, Rhys Lovegrove and Paul Royston.