Morley set to join elite group of internationals

12:08pm Thursday 8th November 2007

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ADRIAN Morley will join an elite band of internationals if he is involved in Great Britain's last match on Saturday before their transition to England next year.

The 30-year-old is set to play his 30th game for the Lions in the last match of their series against New Zealand at Wigan's JJB Stadium, kick-off 6.15pm, in what could be his last international on home soil, with Morley planning to retire after next year's World Cup.

And Wolves can take consolation from international achievements in an otherwise disappointing year.

Wolves missed out on the Super League play-offs but had five players in the Great Britain train-on squad and three - Jon Clarke, Martin Gleeson and Morley - in the same Lions side on Saturday for the first time since Jim Featherstone, Bob Ryan and Ron Ryder in 1952.

Clarke's appearance for the Lions takes the number of full internationals in next year's Wolves squad to 16 - including Louis Anderson, who again came off the bench for the Kiwis in the second Test at the weekend and Andy Bracek, who made his Wales debut on Sunday.

Bracek was a substitute and Lee Briers started as Wales won 18-16 in the second leg of their World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow but the Scots won 37-32 on aggregate to reach the World Cup.

Wales now go into the play-offs and have to beat Lebanon at Widnes tomorrow night, Friday, at 8pm before overcoming either USA or Samoa in Featherstone on Wednesday to qualify.

Briers is a doubt for the Lebanon game after being taken to hospital for checks on a leg injury.

On Saturday Clarke became the first player to make his GB debut with Wolves since Briers in 2001 and thinks the club can take positives from the recent internationals.

He said: "To get three of us in the starting team for the first time in 55 years was quite a proud moment for all three of us really and something that Warrington as a club should be very proud of.

"Considering what has been a bad season team-wise, from an individual point of view it's probably been one of the club's most successful for a number of years, which is a positive I think."

And Clarke has thanked Wolves fans for their crucial support in the Northern Union game at The Halliwell Jones three weeks ago.

He said: "I was lucky really because when I came off the bench there were quite a lot of Warrington fans in the North Stand and they were really vocal and really supportive of me when I was going on.

"It sort of relaxed me a little bit, it was like playing a home game so I was really grateful to those fans who turned out that night and gave not just me but Mozza and Gleese as well a lot of support."

Leading Great Britain appearance makers.

Mick Sullivan 46.

Garry Schofield 46.

Ellery Hanley 36.

Shaun Edwards 36.

Andy Farrell 34.

Martin Offiah 33.

Daryl Powell 33.

Keith Senior 32.

Billy Boston 31.

Gary Connolly 31.

Cliff Watson 30.

Denis Betts 30.

Joe Lydon 30.

ADRIAN MORLEY 29.