Briers quits international stage

Warrington’s Welsh star Lee Briers has called an end to his international rugby league career.nnThe stand-off, 30, becomes the third Super League player to retire from international rugby recently, with St Helens‘ Keiron Cunningham and Bradford’s Iestyn Harris also leaving the international scene to spend more time with their families.nnBriers debuted for Wales against England back in 1998, and earned his 18th cap in a red shirt in last November’s World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow. Despite helping his nation to an 18-16 win, it still wasn’t enough to take them to the World Cup.nnBriers remains all the patriot, but realised it was time to call it a day.nn”I still consider myself Welsh through and through but unfortunately the time has come for me to quit the international scene. I’ve put my heart and soul into my Welsh career but I feel that I have to sacrifice something and this is it,” Briers told Rugby League World magazine, published this Friday.nn”I’ve loved every minute. When I was little, if someone had said to me that I’d have got to play in a World Cup semi-final against the Aussies in a side that was winning for so long, I wouldn’t have believed them,” he added.