He featured in three World Club Challenge matches for Wigan, winning two, against Penrith Panthers in 1991 and Brisbane Broncos in 1994.

Later that year Betts became the first player to win both England and Great Britain caps while not playing in the English leagues.

He was selected as vice captain for the 1996 Great Britain Lions tour of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand, playing in all Tests against host nations at second-row.

At the end of 1999's Super League IV, Betts was selected to play for Great Britain in the 1999 Tri-Nations tournament in both of their matches against New Zealand and Australia.

[8] In total, Betts made 32 appearances for Great Britain, the joint highest ever for a forward, and toured three times, in 1990, 1992 and 1996.

He held the position for a year before he was moved sideways by the club to make way for the appointment of new head coach Ian Millward, who had left St. Helens just two weeks earlier and was recruited for his experience.

Betts continued to work under Millward until the end of the 2005's Super League X but left in November after refusing to take a post as coach of the academy Under-21 team.

[10] In January 2006 he took up a post as skills and development coach with Guinness Premiership rugby union club Gloucester, a position which he left during June 2010,[11] despite having another year on his contract.

"[12] While at Gloucester, Betts emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant England coaching job,[13] which he applied for in March 2010, ultimately losing out to Bradford Bulls' Steve McNamara.