It was March 2006. St. Munchin’s College of Corbally had just won the Munster Schools Senior Cup. Despite the immense talent of the players involved, one player stood out. It was clear, even at that early stage,that Keith Earls was special. There was no doubt in my mind that he was goingto make it to the highest level. Most who had seen him play agreed. I suggested to a few friends that we place a bet that Keith would be a full international one day. They all thought it was a great idea.

We didn’t place the bet.

I caught up with Keith at the Castletroy Park Hotel. He had been based there in an Irish training camp all week. It was Fridayafternoon and he was looking forward to a weekend relaxing at home before meeting up with the squad again 3 days later, ahead of Ireland’s Autumn Internationals. I was amazed at how far he had come in the six years since hehad decided to give up soccer and gaelic football and concentrate on rugby.

“I was 16 at the time and my father said I needed to pick one sport and take it seriously. I was completelty burnt out. I was falling asleep as soon as I got home. I was just doing too much. There was no pressure from him to choose rugby, he said he would back me either way. I was really enjoying my rugby and it was around that time that I was getting involved with various Munster underage and school teams”.

Keith’s father Ger, was of course, captain of YoungMunster’s 1993 All Ireland League (AIL) winning team. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented players never to be capped for Ireland. Politics in Munster Rugby throughout his career meant that was never possible for Ger, but that story is for another day.

“He’s always there when I need advice. I don’t read the papers anymore. I ask my father his opinion on how I played because he will always tell me honestly and pick up on the little things I need to improve”.

Upon completing his Junior Certificate at St. Nessan’s, Keith moved to St. Munchin’s. He was sad to leave his friends behind but knew he “needed to be in an ‘A’ school”. Keith rugby career started to move rapidly at this point. He was involved in all the various representitive teams he was eligible for and by his own admission, was “doing well”.

After securing the Senior Cup with St. Munchin’s in ’06 he went to Dubai to represent Ireland in the IRB U19 World Championship. Keith had put himself on the rugby map in Ireland with match-winning performances and tries at Schools level, this was his chance to shine on an international stage.And shine he did. His performances and in particular a try against England in the made a lot of people stand up and take notice.

“It was just a great experience playing against those quality players. When we played against England it was surreal playing against a player like Danny Cipriani. He was playing Guinness Premiership rugby and wasthe next big English star”.

Keith played a crucial part in Ireland’s Grandslam victory in the U20 Six Nations Championship the following year. He was knocking on the door. Munster rewarded him with a development contract. He was nearing the big time. He played a full season of AIL in ‘07/’08 for Garryowen. He was sad to leave his first club Thomond, but knew playing in the First Division was crucial to his development. He made four appearences as a substitute in the Magner’s League for Munster that season. The fourth of those was against Glasgow, two weeks before the 2008 Heineken Cup final showdown with Tolouse in Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium. Keith obviously impressed Munster Head Coach Declan Kidney. Kidney put him on the bench for the Heineken Cup Final.

When Declan Kidney’s name comes up in discussion with one of his players, it usually leads to unrelenting praise for the Cork man and, in particular, his man-management skills. This time was no different.

“It just goes the show the faith Deccy has in his players. His man-management skills are absolutely second to none. He was slowly giving me a taste at different levels. He started including me in the starting backline in training in the week leading up to the final. I found out on the Friday I was to be included. I was shocked”.

Keith did not play a part in the Final and by his own admission felt awkward on the pitch afterwards. He had a Heineken Cup medal but had not played a minute in the tournament. A similar situation arose in March2009 where Keith was a reserve in Ireland’s Six Nations Grandslam victory. Heagain had a medal for a tounament he did not play in.

“I just felt I wasn’t a part of it celebrating on thepitch. I had a Heineken Cup medal and a Six Nations medal and I hadn’t played apart in either”.

The ‘08/’09 season was incredible for Keith. It started with a pre-season tour of the USA with Munster and ended, amazingly, in SouthAfrica with the British and Irish Lions.

“I still pinch myself about last season. It came down to me getting my chances and taking them.”

After impressing in the USA for Munster, Keith began the season in the starting XV. In both Magner’s League and the Heineken Cup Keith was now a key squad member. This led to his debut for Ireland, now coached by Kidney.

“Some people said at the time you couldn’t have written it. My Ireland debut in Thomond Park just around the corner from where I grew up in Moyross. Getting to pull on that jersey and sing the national anthem was fantastic. There was tears in my eyes. Then I scored with my first touch!”

Keith had a remarkable [full]debut season. So good that teammate Ronan O’Gara described it as “the best I have seen since Johnny Wilkinson burst on to the scene”. It ended in success in the Magner’s League when Keith was “finally able to really celebrate winning”. Or at least, that’s where he thought his season would end.

The players that would be representing the Britsh and Irish Lions on their summer tour of South Africa was announced in the last week of April. Keith watched the announcement at home like everyone else, accompanied by his father and uncle.

“I was not expecting it at all. I thought there was no way this could happen. We heard ‘Keith’ and the three of us jumped around the house screaming. It did not sink in until 3 weeks later when the squad met up in England before leaving for South Africa”.

Keith played the first warm up game in South Africa against Royal XV. Unfortunately, this was not to be Keith’s day. He made several errors early on and it was by far his worst game as a professional.This was not like Keith who was always reliable and consistent and never nervous.

“I read this article before the tour saying it was an error bringing myself and Alan Quinlan on the tour. I really stuck in my mind and I went out to prove him wrong in the first game. I had the worst game of my life. I was dropping simple balls and missing easy passes. I was trying to score or do something magical everytime I got the ball.”

That evening, he went around to his team mates apologising for his performance. He did not get very far. Senior squad members were having none of it. They told him everyone had bad games. They said they all knew he was good enough and would prove it the following week. And prove it he did. The rest of Keith’s tour was fantastic. He played well and scored against both the Emerging Boks and the Cheetahs. Some might say he was unlucky not to face the Springboks themselves in the third and final Test match.

“I learned more off the pitch than on it during the Lions tour. I learned that I always have to be positive. Positive on the pitch. Positive off the pitch. I have been working a lot with sport psychologists since the tour and feel better mentally this season.”

Keith also said he was working on making sure he keeps the ball after bringing it in to contact. If there was one flaw to his game in‘08/’09, that was it. The problem usually arrises because by the time he’s tackled after a break, he is completely isolated from his team mates who cannot keep up and support him.

After a stunning first season that saw Earls become a Munster regular, get capped for Ireland, win the Magner’s league, get to the semi-final of the Heineken Cup and amazingly tour South Africa with The Lions,he is looking to improve. This sums the man up. He is not resting on his laurels. He wants Heineken Cup success and to be even more involved with Ireland. This must put ‘the fear of God’ into the opposition.