Keith Earls
Encyclopedia
Keith Earls is an Irish rugby union
footballer for Munster
in the RaboDirect Pro12
and Heineken Cup
. Internationally, Earls plays for Ireland
, and he represented the British and Irish Lions
on their 2009
tour to South Africa. He plays as an Outside Centre, Winger or Fullback. He won a Munster Senior Cup medal with St. Munchin's.
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 Magners League
against Newport Gwent Dragons
in September 2008. 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.
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
.
. 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.
player Ger Earls, as a massive influence on his career. He has also stated frequently in interviews that he learnt a lot of his skills under the tutelage of past semi-pro Keith Michael Hollywood Hunston of Thomond, Bohemians and Abbeyfeale fame.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer for Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
in the RaboDirect Pro12
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
and Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
. Internationally, Earls plays for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, and he represented the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on their 2009
2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
tour to South Africa. He plays as an Outside Centre, Winger or Fullback. He won a Munster Senior Cup medal with St. Munchin's.
Munster
Earls made his Munster debut against Ospreys in April 2007. During the 2007/08 season, Earls was part of the Munster squad that beat ToulouseStade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
in the 2008 Heineken Cup Final
2008 Heineken Cup Final
The 2008 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup, the 13th season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 24 May 2008 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The match was contested by Munster of Ireland and Toulouse of France...
. In the 2008/09 season, Earls really made his mark in the Munster first team, scoring 10 tries, including 2 in the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
quarter-final against Ospreys in May 2009 and a hat-trick in the Magners League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
against Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
in September 2008. 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
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
to win the 2011 Magners League Grand Final.
Ireland
Earls made his debut for IrelandIreland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
in November 2008 against Canada in Thomond Park
Thomond Park
Thomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in...
. 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
2009 end of year rugby tests
The 2009 end of year rugby tests, also known as the Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina, tour the northern hemisphere....
. He came on for the injured Luke Fitzgerald
Luke Fitzgerald
Luke Matthew Fitzgerald is a Rugby Union footballer. He currently plays at winger or centre for Leinster. Having previously studied at Blackrock College he won two Leinster Schools Senior Cups, in 2004 and 2006. He won his first cap for Ireland in November 2006...
against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
and started against Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
, where he scored two tries, and against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. He played in all 5 of Ireland's 2010 Six Nations Championship
2010 Six Nations Championship
The 2010 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2010 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 11th series of the Six Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition between the six major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams...
games, starting 4 of them. He scored a try against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
and scored two more against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, finishing as joint top try scorer with Tommy Bowe
Tommy Bowe
Thomas John "Tommy" Bowe is an Irish rugby union footballer from County Monaghan, Ireland...
, Shane Williams
Shane Williams
Shane Mark Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Ospreys and who can also play scrum-half. Williams is the record try scorer for the Wales national team and he is third on the international list of leading Rugby union Test try scorers behind Daisuke Ohata...
and James Hook
James Hook (rugby player)
James William Hook is a Welsh rugby union player for USA Perpignan. Hook is widely regarded as one of the most talented players in world rugby....
.
He was selected in Ireland's squad for their 2010 Summer Tour
2010 mid-year rugby test series
The 2010 mid-year rugby Test series refers to the rugby union Internationals that were played from late May to late June, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere....
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
2010 end of year rugby tests
The 2010 end of year rugby tests, also known as the Autumn internationals in the northern hemisphere, will see Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and tour the northern hemisphere. Test matches will also be arranged involving the various Pacific island teams and other non-Tier 1...
, coming on against South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina. He started every game for Ireland during the 2011 Six Nations Championship
2011 Six Nations Championship
The 2011 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2011 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 12th series of the Six Nations Championship. The annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy,...
, four on the left-wing and one at full-back. He was selected in Ireland's squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
warm-ups in August, playing in both tests against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. 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
2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C
Pool C of the 2011 Rugby World Cup began on 11 September 2011 and was completed on 2 October. The pool was composed of Australia, Ireland, Italy, Russia and the United States....
game, and again against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
during their historic 6-15 victory over the Wallabies. He was switched to outside-centre against Russia
Russia national rugby union team
The Russian National Rugby Union Team, is the national team representing Russia at the sport of rugby union.Rugby union in Russia is administered by the Rugby Union of Russia . The RUR is the official successor union of the Soviet Union and the combined CIS team which played in the early 1990s...
and scored two tries. He returned to the left-wing for Ireland's final Pool C game against Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
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
2011 Rugby World Cup knockout stage
The knockout stage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup began on 8 October with a quarter-final between Ireland and Wales and concluded on 23 October with the final at Eden Park in Auckland....
defeat at the hands of Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. This total of five tries made him Ireland's top try scorer at the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
.
British and Irish Lions
On 21 April 2009, Earls was selected as part of the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
. He made his Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
debut on 30 May 2009, in a nervy, error-strewn performance against a South African Royal XV
Highveld XV
The Highveld XV, also known for sponsorship reasons as the Royal Bafokeng Nation Highveld XV or simply the Royal XV, are a composite provincial rugby union team from South Africa....
. A week later, against Currie Cup outfit the Free State Cheetahs
Free State Cheetahs
The Free State Cheetahs , currently named the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Free State Rugby Union and are based at the 37,076-capacity Vodacom Park in...
, 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
Emerging Springboks
The Emerging Springboks are the second national rugby union team in South africa after the national side. They compete every year in the Nations Cup alongside the full national teams of Namibia, Romania and Georgia as well as Argentina Jaguars and Italy A. Now and again they also play touring sides...
. 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
Western Province (rugby team)
DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team...
and Southern Kings
Southern Kings
The Southern Kings are a South African rugby union franchise. The franchise was formally announced at the opening of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 16 June 2009, in time to coincide with the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa....
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 MunsterMunster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
player Ger Earls, as a massive influence on his career. He has also stated frequently in interviews that he learnt a lot of his skills under the tutelage of past semi-pro Keith Michael Hollywood Hunston of Thomond, Bohemians and Abbeyfeale fame.