Keith Earls

Early life

Earls won a Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup medal with St. Munchin's College in 2006.

2006–11

Earls made his Munster debut against Ospreys in April 2007. During the 2007–08 season, Earls was part of the Munster squad that beat Toulouse in the 2008 Heineken Cup Final.

In the 2008–09 season, Earls really made his mark in the Munster first team, scoring 10 tries, including 2 in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ospreys in May 2009 and a hat-trick in the Celtic League against Newport Gwent Dragons in September 2008.

Earls started against Northampton Saints in 31–27 Round 1 2009–10 Heineken Cup defeat on 10 October 2009. Earls also started the 41–10 Round 2 win against Treviso on 17 October 2009. He then started the 24–23 Round 3 win against USA Perpignan on 11 December 2009. He also started the reverse Round 4 fixture on 20 December 2009, which Munster won 14–37. Earls scored two tries in the Round 5 7–44 win against Treviso on 16 January 2010. Earls also started the 12–9 Round 6 victory against Northampton Saints on 22 January 2010. Earls then started the 33–19 quarter-final victory, also against Northampton, on 10 April 2010. Earls scored a try in Munster's 18–7 semi-final defeat at the hands on Biarritz on 2 May 2010.

He played for Munster during their historic 15–6 win over Australia on 16 November 2010. Earls was also part of the Munster team that beat Leinster to win the 2011 Magners League Grand Final.

He injured his knee in the first minute of Munster's Pro12 match against Leinster on 4 November 2011, and was ruled out for 4–6 weeks. He made his return against Scarlets in Munster's Heineken Cup Round 4 fixture on 18 December 2011.

2012–17

Earls also started against Castres Olympique on 14 January 2012. He also started in Munster's 26–51 win against Northampton Saints on 21 January 2012. Earls started in Munster's 2011–12 Heineken Cup quarter-final loss to Ulster on 8 April 2012. He also started for Munster in their 45–10 defeat against Ospreys in the semi-final of the 2011–12 Pro12.

Earls started against Saracens on 8 December 2012. He also started against Edinburgh on 13 January 2013. Earls started against Racing 92 on 20 January 2013. Earls started Munster's 16–10 2012–13 Heineken Cup semi-final defeat against ASM Clermont Auvergne on 27 April 2013.

Earls scored a try in Munster's 19–15 victory against Leinster on 5 October 2013. He started in the 29–23 loss to Edinburgh in Round 1 of the 2013–14 Heineken Cup on 12 October 2013. He also started the 26–10 win against Gloucester in Round 2 on 19 October 2013. He won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's Round 3 36–8 win against USA Perpignan on 8 December 2013. Earls also started the reverse fixture away to Perpignan on 14 December 2013. He started the 7–20 away win against Gloucester on 11 January 2013, scoring a try in a win that secured quarter-final qualification. Earls started against Edinburgh in the Round 6 fixture on 19 January 2014, but went off injured in the first-half. It was announced on 21 January 2014 that Earls had signed a new two-year contract, a deal that will see him remain with Munster and Ireland until June 2016. After having a scan on the injury he suffered in the Edinburgh game, Earls was ruled out for 6–8 weeks. Earls started in Munster's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse on 5 April 2014, scoring a try in the 47-23 win. He started in Munster's 24–16 semi-final defeat to Toulon on 27 April 2014.

Earls was ruled out for four months in September 2014 with a knee injury which required surgery. He returned from the injury against Zebre on 10 January 2015. Earls came off the bench against Saracens F.C. in Round 5 of the 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup on 17 January 2015, winning his 100th cap for Munster. He started against Sale Sharks on 25 January 2015, scoring a try in the 65–10 win. Earls scored a try and won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's 22–10 win against Glasgow Warriors on 28 February 2015. He scored a try in Munster's 42–20 win against Connacht on 28 March 2015. Earls scored a try in the 3–34 away win against Edinburgh on 11 April 2015.

Earls started the opening pool game of the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup against Treviso on 14 November 2015. He started against Leicester Tigers in the Champions Cup on 12 December 2015. In January 2016, Earls signed a new three-year contract with Munster and the IRFU, which will see him remain with the province until the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. On 22 October 2016, Earls was sent-off in Munster's 38–17 win against Glasgow Warriors in Round 2 of the 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup. He was subsequently banned for two weeks. On 7 January 2017, Earls won his 50th cap in the European Cup during Munster's 7–32 away win against Racing 92.

2008–12

Earls made his debut for Ireland in November 2008 against Canada in Thomond Park. He scored his first international try with his first touch of the ball.

Earls was selected in Ireland's squad for the November Tests in 2009. He came on for the injured Luke Fitzgerald against Australia and started against Fiji, where he scored two tries, and against South Africa. He played in all 5 of Ireland's 2010 Six Nations Championship games, starting 4 of them. He scored a try against England and scored two more against Wales, finishing as joint top try scorer with Tommy Bowe, Shane Williams and James Hook.

He was selected in Ireland's squad for their 2010 Summer Tour to New Zealand and Australia, though he had to pull out of the squad due to a persistent groin injury. An ankle injury ruled him out of the beginning of the 2010/11 season. He was in the Ireland squad for the 2010 Autumn Tests, coming on against South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina. He started every game for Ireland during the 2011 Six Nations Championship, four on the left-wing and one at full-back.

He was selected in Ireland's squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-ups in August, playing in both tests against France. He was selected in Ireland's final 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand. He started on the wing against US Eagles in Ireland's first Pool C game, and again against Australia during their historic 6–15 victory over the Wallabies. He was switched to outside-centre against Russia and scored two tries. He returned to the left-wing for Ireland's final Pool C game against Italy and, on his birthday, scored a brace of tries in the 36-6 win. He scored his fifth World Cup try in Ireland's quarter-final defeat at the hands of Wales. This total of five tries made him Ireland's top try scorer at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Earls was selected in Ireland's 24-man squad for the 2012 Six Nations Championship. He was named in the team to face Wales in the opening fixture, but had to withdraw from the team when his recently born daughter was taken ill. His place at outside centre was taken by Fergus McFadden. He returned to the Ireland team for their game against Italy, scoring a try, and played against France, Scotland and England.

He played at Inside Centre for Ireland in the first test against New Zealand on 9 June 2012, as part of a new centre-combination with Brian O'Driscoll. Earls missed the second test due to a pectoral injury, but returned to start the third test, this time on the left-wing.

Earls started at 13 for Ireland in the opening 2012 Guinness Series test against South Africa on 10 November 2012, and again against Argentina on 24 November 2012.

2013–17

Earls was named in Ireland squad for the 2013 Six Nations Championship on 17 January 2013, and came off the bench against Wales in Ireland's opening 22–30 win, and their 6–12 defeat against England on 10 February 2013. He came into the first XV against Scotland after Simon Zebo's injury, starting in his place on the left-wing. He continued there in the 13–13 draw against France. He started against Italy in the final game of the tournament, but went off injured in the 24th minute.

On 23 October 2013, Earls was named in the Ireland squad for the 2013 Autumn Tests. Earls was named in the Ireland squad for their 2014 Tour to Argentina on 19 May 2014. However, Earls was ruled out of the tour with a viral infection. Earls started for Ireland Wolfhounds in their game against England Saxons on 30 January 2015. He was named in the Ireland squad for the opening rounds of the 2015 Six Nations Championship on 1 February 2015.

Earls was named in the 45-man training squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup on 24 June 2015. He started in the first World Cup warm-up against Wales on 8 August 2015, scoring a try and earning the Man-of-the-Match award in the 21–35 win for Ireland. He started the warm-up game against Wales on 29 August 2015. Earls was selected in the final 31-man squad for the World Cup when it was announced on 1 September 2015. He started the opening pool game against Canada on 19 September 2015. Earls started the second pool game against Romania on 27 September 2015, scoring two tries and earning the Man-of-the-Match award in Ireland's 44–10 win. He started the third pool game against Italy on 4 October 2015, scoring Ireland's only try in their 16–9 win and, in doing so, overtaking Brian O'Driscoll as Ireland's leading try-scorer in Rugby World Cup history. Earls started Ireland's 24–9 win against France on 11 October 2015. He started for Ireland in the 43–20 quarter-final defeat against Argentina on 18 October 2015.

On 20 January 2016, Earls was named in Ireland's 35-man squad for the 2016 Six Nations Championship. On 7 February 2016, he started against Wales in Ireland's opening match of the Six Nations. On 25 May 2016, Earls was named in the 32-man Ireland squad to tour South Africa in a 3-test series. On 11 June 2016, Earls started in Ireland's historic first test win against South Africa. On 26 October 2016, Earls was named in Ireland's squad for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals. On 23 January 2017, Earls was named in the Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the 2017 Six Nations Championship. On 11 February 2017, Earls scored two tries in Ireland's 10–63 win in the Stadio Olimpico against Italy. He was also selected in the squad for the 2017 Summer Tour against the United States and Japan. On 10 June 2017, in the one-off test against the United States, Earls scored two tries, had three assists and won the Man-of-the-Match award in Ireland's 19–55 win in the Red Bull Arena, New Jersey. On 17 June 2017, Earls again scored two tries, this time in Ireland's 22–50 win against Japan in Shizuoka Stadium, Shizuoka. His tally of nine tries in an international season set a new record for Ireland.

2009

On 21 April 2009, Earls was selected as part of the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He made his Lions debut on 30 May 2009, in a nervy, error-strewn performance against a South African Royal XV. A week later, against Currie Cup outfit the Free State Cheetahs, he put in a far improved showing, scoring an impressive try which ultimately proved crucial to the result, with the Lions coming through to win 26–24. On 23 June 2009, he scored a try from fullback in a tour match against the Emerging Springboks. On receiving the ball at the out half position and stepping past three rushing defenders, he touched down for the Lions' only try in a 13–13 draw. Earls also played against Western Province and Southern Kings in mid-week games, but he did not win any full Lions caps on the tour.

Influences

Keith has always pointed to his father, former Munster player Ger Earls, as a massive influence on his career.

Personal life

On 1 July 2016, Earls and his long-time partner, Edel McGee, married in Quilty, County Clare. They have two daughters, Ella-May and Laurie, together.

International analysis by opposition

62 caps for  Ireland.

Correct as of 24 June 2017