Keith Earls

Keith Earls
Full name Keith Gerard Earls
Date of birth (1987-10-02) 2 October 1987
Place of birth Moyross, County Limerick, Ireland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 90kg (14 st 2 lbs)
School St. Munchin's College
Notable relative(s) Ger Earls (father)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Centre, Fullback, Wing
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Thomond
Garryowen
Young Munster
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2007–present Munster 125 (180)
correct as of 30 Apr 2016.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2009
2008–present
2007–present
2007		 Lions
Ireland
Wolfhounds
Ireland U20		 0
50
8
5		 (0)
(85)
(25)
(5)
correct as of 19 March 2016.
Earls playing for Munster

Keith Gerard Earls (born 2 October 1987 in Moyross, County Limerick, Ireland) is an Irish rugby union player for Munster in the Pro 12 and European Rugby Champions Cup. Internationally, Earls plays for Ireland and he represented the British and Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa. He plays as a Centre, Wing or Fullback.

Early life

He won a Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup medal with St. Munchin's College in 2006.[1]

Munster

2006-11

Earls made his Munster debut against Ospreys in April 2007.[2] During the 2007-08 season, Earls was part of the Munster squad that beat Toulouse in the 2008 Heineken Cup Final.[3]

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[4] and a hat-trick in the Magners League against Newport Gwent Dragons in September 2008.[5]

Earls started against Northampton Saints in 31-27 Round 1 2009–10 Heineken Cup defeat on 10 October 2009.[6] Earls also started the 41-10 Round 2 win against Treviso on 17 October 2009.[7] He then started the 24-23 Round 3 win against USA Perpignan on 11 December 2009.[8] He also started the reverse Round 4 fixture on 20 December 2009, which Munster won 14-37.[9] Earls scored two tries in the Round 5 7-44 win against Treviso on 16 January 2010.[10] Earls also started the 12-9 Round 6 victory against Northampton Saints on 22 January 2010.[11] Earls then started the 33-19 quarter-final victory, also against Northampton, on 10 April 2010.[12] Earls scored a try in Munster's 18-7 semi-final defeat at the hands on Biarritz on 2 May 2010.[13]

He played for Munster during their historic 15–6 win over Australia on 16 November 2010.[14] Earls was also part of the Munster team that beat Leinster to win the 2011 Magners League Grand Final.[15]

He injured his knee in the first minute of Munster's Rabo Direct Pro12 match against Leinster on 4 November 2011,[16] and was ruled out for 4–6 weeks.[17] He made his return against Scarlets in Munster's Heineken Cup Round 4 fixture on 18 December 2011.[18]

2012-16

Earls also started against Castres Olympique on 14 January 2012.[19] He also started in Munster's 26-51 win against Northampton Saints on 21 January 2012.[20] Earls started in Munster's 2011–12 Heineken Cup quarter-final loss to Ulster on 8 April 2012.[21] He also started for Munster in their 45-10 defeat against Ospreys in the semi-final of the 2011–12 Pro 12.[22]

Earls started against Saracens on 8 December 2012.[23] He also started against Edinburgh on 13 January 2013.[24] Earls started against Racing Metro 92 on 20 January 2013.[25] Earls started Munster's 16-10 2012–13 Heineken Cup semi-final defeat against ASM Clermont Auvergne on 27 April 2013.[26]

Earls scored a try in Munster's 19-15 victory against Leinster on 5 October 2013.[27] He started in the 29-23 loss to Edinburgh in Round 1 of the 2013–14 Heineken Cup on 12 October 2013.[28] He also started the 26-10 win against Gloucester in Round 2 on 19 October 2013.[29] He won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's Round 3 36-8 win against USA Perpignan on 8 December 2013.[30] Earls also started the reverse fixture away to Perpignan on 14 December 2013.[31] He started the 7-20 away win against Gloucester on 11 January 2013, scoring a try in a win that secured quarter-final qualification.[32] Earls started against Edinburgh in the Round 6 fixture on 19 January 2014, but went off injured in the first-half.[33] 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.[34] After having a scan on the injury he suffered in the Edinburgh game, Earls was ruled out for 6–8 weeks.[35] Earls started in Munster's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse on 5 April 2014, scoring a try in the 47-23 win.[36] He started in Munster's 24-16 semi-final defeat to Toulon on 27 April 2014.[37]

Earls was ruled out for four months in September 2014 with a knee injury which required surgery.[38] He returned from the injury against Zebre on 10 January 2015.[39] 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.[40][41] He started against Sale Sharks on 25 January 2015, scoring a try in the 65-10 win.[42] 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.[43] He scored a try in Munster's 42-20 win against Connacht on 28 March 2015.[44] Earls scored a try in the 3-34 away win against Edinburgh on 11 April 2015.[45]

Earls started the opening pool game of the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup against Treviso on 14 November 2015.[46] He started against Leicester Tigers in the Champions Cup on 12 December 2015.[47] 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.[48]

Ireland

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.[49]

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,[50] playing in both tests against France. He was selected in Ireland's final 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand.[51] 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.[52] He scored his fifth World Cup try in Ireland's quarter-final defeat at the hands of Wales.[53] 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.[54] He was named in the team to face Wales in the opening fixture,[55] 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.[56] 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.[57] Earls missed the second test due to a pectoral injury,[58] but returned to start the third test, this time on the left-wing.[59]

Earls started at 13 for Ireland in the opening 2012 Guinness Series test against South Africa on 10 November 2012,[60] and again against Argentina on 24 November 2012.[61]

2013-16

Earls was named in Ireland squad for the 2013 Six Nations Championship on 17 January 2013,[62] and came off the bench against Wales in Ireland's opening 22-30 win,[63] and their 6-12 defeat against England on 10 February 2013.[64] He came into the first XV against Scotland after Simon Zebo's injury, starting in his place on the left-wing.[65] He continued there in the 13-13 draw against France.[66] He started against Italy in the final game of the tournament, but went off injured in the 24th minute.[67]

On 23 October 2013, Earls was named in the Ireland squad for the 2013 Autumn Tests.[68]

Earls was named in the Ireland squad for their 2014 Tour to Argentina on 19 May 2014.[69] However, Earls was ruled out of the tour with a viral infection.[70]

Earls started for Ireland Wolfhounds in their game against England Saxons on 30 January 2015.[71] He was named in the Ireland squad for the opening rounds of the 2015 Six Nations Championship on 1 February 2015.[72]

Earls was named in the 45-man training squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup on 24 June 2015.[73] 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.[74] He started the warm-up game against Wales on 29 August 2015.[75] Earls was selected in the final 31-man squad for the World Cup when it was announced on 1 September 2015.[76] He started the opening pool game against Canada on 19 September 2015.[77] 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.[78] 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.[79] Earls started Ireland's 24-9 win against France on 11 October 2015.[80] He started for Ireland in the 43-20 quarter-final defeat against Argentina on 18 October 2015.[81]

On 20 January 2016, Earls was named in Ireland's 35-man squad for the 2016 Six Nations Championship.[82] On 7 February 2016, he started against Wales in Ireland's opening match of the Six Nations.[83]

British and Irish Lions

2009

On 21 April 2009, Earls was selected as part of the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.[84] 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.[85] 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.[86] 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

Earls has a daughter, named Ella-May, with his partner Edel McGee.[87]

References

  1. ↑ "St. Munchin's College win Munster Schools Senior Cup". munsterrugby.ie. 17 March 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. ↑ "No Joy For Munster At The Liberty". munsterrugby.ie. 8 April 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  3. ↑ "Munster Fans Turn Cardiff Red". munsterrugby.ie. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "Heineken Cup Semi Secured". munsterrugby.ie. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Munster 50-6 Newport Gwent Dragons". munsterrugby.ie. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "Munster Just Come Up Short". munsterrugby.ie. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "Bonus Point Victory Takes Munster Top". munsterrugby.ie. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "O'Gara Paves The Way". munsterrugby.ie. 12 December 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Munster Pass The Acid Test With Full Marks". munsterrugby.ie. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Munster Complete The Italian Job In Style". munsterrugby.ie. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  11. ↑ "The Better Half Makes All The Difference". munsterrugby.ie. 24 January 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  12. ↑ "Munster's Heineken Cup Continues". munsterrugby.ie. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "Munster Way Below Best". munsterrugby.ie. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Class of 2010 Excel". munsterrugby.ie. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  15. ↑ "Munster Crowned Magners League Champions". munsterrugby.ie. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  16. ↑ "Scan For Earls Tomorrow". munsterrugby.ie. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  17. ↑ "Munster Squad For Northampton". munsterrugby.ie. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  18. ↑ "Earls Back In Munster Side". munsterrugby.ie. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  19. ↑ "Fifth Successive Win Sees Munster Through". munsterrugby.ie. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  20. ↑ "Munster Close The Deal". munsterrugby.ie. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  21. ↑ "Munster Go Crashing Out". munsterrugby.ie. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  22. ↑ "No Consolation Of Any Sort In This Result". munsterrugby.ie. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  23. ↑ "Munster Show Their Gritty Side". munsterrugby.ie. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  24. ↑ "Munster Win In Murrayfield". munsterrugby.ie. 13 January 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  25. ↑ "Munster Go Through". munsterrugby.ie. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "Munster Lose A Game Of Two Halves". munsterrugby.ie. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  27. ↑ "Munster Win Derby Battle". munsterrugby.ie. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  28. ↑ "Disappointing Defeat In Murrayfield". munsterrugby.ie. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  29. ↑ "Heineken Cup Win In Thomond Park". munsterrugby.ie. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "Munster Top Of Group After Bonus-Point Win". munsterrugby.ie. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  31. ↑ "Munster Claim Last-Gasp Win In Perpignan". munsterrugby.ie. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  32. ↑ "Quarter Final Place Secured". munsterrugby.ie. 12 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "Bonus-Point Munster Move Into Home Quarters". munsterrugby.ie. 19 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  34. ↑ "Keith Earls Commits Future To Munster". munsterrugby.ie. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  35. ↑ "Earls Injury Update". munsterrugby.ie. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  36. ↑ "Vintage Munster March On". munsterrugby.ie. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  37. ↑ "Toulon End Munster's European Campaign". munsterrugby.ie. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  38. ↑ "Injury Update: Keith Earls". munsterrugby.ie. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  39. ↑ "Bonus Point Victory In Parma". munsterrugby.ie. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "Earls Edges Closer To 100". munsterrugby.ie. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  41. ↑ "Munster Lose Out In London". munsterrugby.ie. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  42. ↑ "Munster Finish With Flourish". munsterrugby.ie. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  43. ↑ "Winning Ways Continue In Cork". munsterrugby.ie. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  44. ↑ "Bonus Point Win At Thomond Park". munsterrugby.ie. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  45. ↑ "Bonus Point Win At Murrayfield". munsterrugby.ie. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  46. ↑ "Job Done In Thomond". munsterrugby.ie. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  47. ↑ "Tigers Pounce In Thomond". munsterrugby.ie. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  48. ↑ "Murray & Earls Commit To Munster". munsterrugby.ie. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  49. ↑ "Ireland 55-0 Canada". irishrugby.ie. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  50. ↑ "Horgan suffers Rugby World Cup blow". ESPN. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  51. ↑ "Ireland Rugby World Cup Squad Announcement". irishrugby.ie. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  52. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2011: Ireland 36-6 Italy". BBC Sport (BBC). 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  53. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2011: Wales 22-10 Ireland". BBC Sport (BBC). 8 October 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  54. ↑ "Ireland And O2 Ireland Wolfhounds Squads Announced". irishrugby.ie. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  55. ↑ "Ireland Team To Play Wales". irishrugby.ie. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  56. ↑ "Late Change To Ireland Team". irishrugby.ie. 3 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  57. ↑ "Ireland Open Series With Auckland Defeat". irishrugby.ie. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  58. ↑ "Earls Ruled Out Of Second Test". munsterrugby.ie. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  59. ↑ "Ireland End Tour With Heavy Loss". irishrugby.ie. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  60. ↑ "Ireland Lose Tight Encounter With Springboks". irishrugby.ie. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  61. ↑ "Tries Flow As Ireland Pummel Pumas". irishrugby.ie. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  62. ↑ "Ireland Training Squad Announced". irishrugby.ie. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  63. ↑ "Cardiff Cracker Gets Ireland Up And Running". irishrugby.ie. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  64. ↑ "Penalties Decide It As Ireland Lose Brutal Contest". irishrugby.ie. 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  65. ↑ "Six Nations: Scotland beat Ireland in Murrayfield turnaround". BBC Sport. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  66. ↑ "Six Nations 2013: France recover to draw with Ireland". BBC Sport. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  67. ↑ "Six Nations 2013: Italy 22-15 Ireland". BBC Sport. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  68. ↑ "Ireland Squad Announced For GUINNESS Series". irishrugby.ie. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  69. ↑ "Ireland Squad Named For Argentina". munsterrugby.ie. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  70. ↑ "Keith Earls and Marty Moore to miss Argentina tour as Joe Schmidt confirms John Plumtree exit". independent.ie. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  71. ↑ "Wolfhounds Defeat As Irish Independent Park Opens". munsterrugby.ie. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  72. ↑ "Ireland Name 38-Man Squad For Six Nations Opening Rounds". irishrugby.ie. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  73. ↑ "9 Munster Players Ireland Training Squad". munsterrugby.ie. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  74. ↑ "Ireland Win Opening Warm-Up Clash In Cardiff". irishrugby.ie. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  75. ↑ "Tipuric And Halfpenny Guide Wales To Dublin Victory". irishrugby.ie. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  76. ↑ "Ireland Squad Named For Rugby World Cup". irishrugby.ie. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  77. ↑ "Bonus Point Win Gets Ireland Off To Satisfying World Cup Start". irishrugby.ie. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  78. ↑ "Ireland Back On Top After Second Bonus Point Victory". irishrugby.ie. 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  79. ↑ "Earls' Eighth RWC Try Sends Ireland Through To Quarter-Finals". irishrugby.ie. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  80. ↑ "Ireland Beat Les Bleus To Set Up Quarter-Final Against Argentina". irishrugby.ie. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  81. ↑ "Ireland's World Cup Journey Ended By Four-Try Pumas". irishrugby.ie. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  82. ↑ "Ireland Squad Named For Opening Rounds Of RBS Six Nations". irishrugby.ie. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  83. ↑ "Ireland And Wales Play Out Pulsating Draw In Dublin". irishrugby.ie. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  84. ↑ "O'Connell to lead 14 Irish Lions". RTÉ Sport (RTÉ). 21 April 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  85. ↑ "Earls given nod for Lions opener". BBC Sport (BBC). 28 May 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  86. ↑ "Emerging Springboks 13-13 Lions". BBC Sport (BBC). 23 June 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  87. ↑ "Rugby takes back seat as Earls just wants baby daughter home". Irish Independent. 4 February 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.

External links

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