Adrian Morley will on Saturday become the most capped player in the history of British rugby league as he is set to win his 50th cap.
50 not out for Warrington star
Adrian Morley will become the most capped player in the history of British rugby league in Saturday's Gillette Four Nations final against Australia.
The Warrington captain's appearance at Elland Road will be his 50th in an international career that includes both England and Great Britain caps.
He will be just nine behind world record holder Darren Lockyer, the Australian skipper who will retire on 59 after the match.
Confusion over Morley's precise record was cleared up by the Rugby Football League on Monday after they ruled that his first appearance for England against France in Gateshead in 1996 will count in his total.
"He's 50 not out, as he keeps telling everyone," England coach Steve McNamara told a press conference at Elland Road, venue for Saturday's final.
"He's got no intention yet of hanging his boots up and neither should he with the form that's he in.
"It's a tremendous achievement and he deserves all the plaudits he should get."
As a Leeds and Sydney Roosters player, Morley won 30 Great Britain caps between 1996, when he was sin-binned on debut against the Kiwis, and 2007 when the team was mothballed ahead of the World Cup.
Those include three appearances against Australia in 1997, when Lockyer made his international debut, but the Kangaroos captain's three appearances do not count because the team was drawn exclusively from the rebel Super League competition.
According to official records, England's 28-6 win over New Zealand on Saturday was Morley's 19th England cap. That includes three before the demise of Great Britain, two of them in the 2000 World Cup.
Morley overtook Andy Farrell's combined total of 45 in the recent warm-up match against France and he went past Roger Millward's tally of 47 after the game against Australia.
His current total of 49 has him level with Garry Schofield and Mick Sullivan, who as well as sharing the Great Britain record of 46 caps, also won made three England appearances.
Plaudits
England captain Jamie Peacock told Monday's press conference: "He deserves everything he gets.
"He's been involved in the game for a long time and he's been one of the best players for Great Britain over the last 15 years.
"I'm really pleased for him. It's an amazing achievement to say nobody else has done it before in this country."
Lockyer said: "It's a great achievement. He's been around for a long time and sounds like he's going to keep going for a while yet.
"It's testament to the person he is. He wants to do the best for his country and I know he's well respected by all the Australian players."
