A Merseyside coach is heading to Las Vegas with one of the biggest Australian rugby league clubs next month.

Lee Briers is a coach at Brisbane Broncos and his side will be playing in the first ever NRL season opener on American soil when they face the Sydney Roosters at the Allegiant Stadium.

The fixture will played in the early morning of 3rd March UK time and is one half of the double header which sees the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles facing South Sydney Rabbitohs.

It is the first of a five-year commitment for NRL fixtures to be played overseas.

The Super league legend made the switch down under in December 2022, halfway through his two-year contract as assistant coach at Wigan Warriors to become the development coach for the Australian club.

Briers spent 16 years as a player for Warrington Wolves, winning three Challenge Cups and he then spent a further eight years as part of the coaching staff. In his 425 games for Warrington the scrum half scored a record 2,856 points.

Speaking about why he made the surprise switch to Brisbane, he said: “The main reason was to get more experience in the best competition in the world. I believe I’m in the best place as an assistant coach to learn.

“It was a great opportunity for us as a family to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. Life is a journey, and we are enjoying this journey so far.

“I’m really loving my time here at the Broncos and my family are enjoying life here. My plan is to become a head coach and part of the reason being here is to gain as much knowledge as I can to become a head coach.

“I’m in no rush – it must be the right fit for me and my family.”

With the Super League season kicking off this weekend, the St Helens-born coach offered his opinion on his old clubs’ chances this year.

He said: “I really hope Warrington can get back challenging for the title. It’s so sad what’s happened in the last couple of years, but I believe that having my old mate Gary Chambers running the football side of things means only good things will happen.

“As for Wigan, I think they will take some stopping as they have recruited well. They are connected from boardroom to kit room and all on the journey to be successful under the guidance of Kris Radlinski and Matty Peet.”

The Brisbane Broncos narrowly lost the 2023 NRL final 26-24 to the Penrith Panthers in one of the largest comeback victories in NRL history, with the Panthers overcoming a 24-8 deficit after 56 minutes.

Briers is hoping to use last year’s disappointment to his advantage this time round.

He said: “I’ve learnt that you must stick to the process of being in the moment for the full 80 minutes. Hopefully, we have learnt as a team the game management side of it, when to shut a game out. Only time will tell if we have.”

It is a landmark year for the Super League with new broadcast deals being announced and Briers thinks a similar move to take games abroad is achievable in the UK.

He added: “I really like the idea I think it has the potential to be massive. I would really like the Super League to kick their season off on the same weekend in Vegas that would be awesome for the game globally.”

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