ADRIAN Morley's golden-cap international rugby league achievements have been hailed by a leading administrator of the game.

The former Wire skipper is one of seven players across the globe to have received a golden cap this week, marking 50 or more international appearances during their career.

 

Twenty-five of Moz's 53 representative games with either Great Britain or England came while he was a Warrington Wolves player, between 2007 and 2012.

READ > Hall of Heroes: Morley's rugby league career

He is joined in the exclusive 50+ club by Jim Sullivan, Mick Sullivan, Ruben Wiki, Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva and Cameron Smith.

Presentations of the golden caps were made by John Grant, chairman of the Rugby League International Federation, at a celebration dinner staged at Elland Road, Leeds.

Former Souths club (Queensland) and Australian Test star Grant, who enjoyed a 10-match spell with The Wire after representing his country in the 1972 World Cup Final, said: "Rugby league is a tough sport as we all know, and to collect together 50 or more appearances is a remarkable achievement."

In Wire colours, Moz was captain of his country three times and scored one try in 15 starts and 10 substitute appearances.

 

He celebrated a series success against New Zealand with Great Britain in 2007, while with England he featured in the 2008 World Cup in Australia as well as Four-Nations final losses to Australia in 2009 and 2011.

Moz's first international during his Wolves career was with GB against France at Headingley on June 22, 2007, skippering the team to a 42-14 success that included him crossing the whitewash.

 

Adrian Morley, left, and France's former Wire prop Jerome Guisset doing the coin toss for the 2007 international at Headingley, while below, at the same game, he awaits the national anthem alongside England and future Wire coach Tony Smith

 

His last also came against France, when he joined the action off the bench in the final of the 2012 Autumn Internationals tournament - a match England won 48-4 at the City of Salford Community Stadium.

Morley said: “It was a great feeling to represent my country on one occasion. It is an immense honour to have been able to do that 53 times and now to have this recognised by the rugby league world with a special golden cap is so flattering.

“The honour is only made bigger by the great players that I am alongside.”

 

Moz made both his England and Great Britain debuts in 1996 while on the books of his first professional club Leeds Rhinos.

The caps continued after his move to Australia with Sydney Roosters and then after his return to Super League with The Wire, for whom as skipper he guided them to three Challenge Cup Final successes, a League Leaders' Shield and the club's first two Grand Finals of the summer era.

Rugby league's golden-cap internationals:

Jim Sullivan, 1921-1934, 54 internationals (Wales, England and GB)

Mick Sullivan, 1954-1962, 50 internationals (England and GB)

Ruben Wiki, 1994-2006, 55 internationals (New Zealand)

Adrian Morley, 1996-2012, 53 internationals (England and GB)

Darren Lockyer, 1997-2011, 59 internationals (Australia)

Petero Civoniceva, 2001-2014, 51 internationals (Australia and Fiji)

Cameron Smith, 2006-2017, 56 internationals (Australia)