Briers is expecting a backlash from Leeds

The former Wales international is one of 10 survivors from the Wolves’ 30-6 rout of the Rhinos in the 2010 Carnegie Challenge Cup final but he insists that victory was harder than it looked and is expecting the rematch to be even tougher.

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “We had to play to a game-plan and we did. The scoreline is not going to be like it was last time, it’s going to be a full-on game.

“I dare say Leeds will be up for a bit of revenge but we can’t think about two years ago. We need to be in the moment and our preparation has been quality.

“We know it’s going to be a really tough game and we’re going to have to perform to the best of our ability to win it.”

Briers, 34, won the Lance Todd Trophy as man-of-the-match two years ago and is the 7-2 favourite to take the prestigious award for a second time, not that he is allowing himself to think that far.

“We’ve got to focus on the performance,” said Briers, the club’s all-time leading points scorer, who goes into the match needing two more tries to bring up 150 for his club.

“The Lance Todd is not something you think about. It’s for other people to judge and, if you think too much about it, you’re taking your eye off the ball.

“If you win the Challenge Cup, you’ve more chance of winning the Lance Todd and we need to do that first. That’s the sole focus.”

Like fellow elder statesman and his successor as club captain, Adrian Morley, Briers is revelling in the twilight of his career.

Dropped by St Helens to make way for the return of Bobbie Goulding for the 1997 Wembley final with Bradford, the wily half-back had to wait 13 years to experience his first major final but will now be appearing in his third in four years.

“It’s like public buses, you wait a long time for one and two come at once. It took us years and years to get to a final and now we want to win more.

“The elation is second to none. You play the game to do stuff like this and, once you get it, you want more of it.”