Keith Earls
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Keith Gerard Earls (born 2 October 1987) is an Irish former
rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
player who played as a
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
for
United Rugby Championship The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...
club
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
and the Ireland national team. He retired following the
2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...
.


Early life

Earls was born in
Moyross Moyross () is a suburb and council estate in Limerick city in Ireland. Moyross is located on the city's north side and is the largest housing estate in Limerick. The Roman Catholic parish of Moyross is one of 60 parishes in the Diocese of Limer ...
, a council estate in
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
, to Ger and Sandra Earls. He has one younger sister. Ger was well-known in Limerick for his playing exploits with
Thomond Thomond ( Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the Kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...
and
Young Munster Young Munster is a rugby union club based in Limerick, Ireland, playing in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League. It was founded in 1895 and plays its games at Tom Clifford Park in Rosbrien, Limerick. The club has won the Munster Senior Rugb ...
, winning the 1992–93 All-Ireland League with the latter, and for being part of the Munster team that beat 1991 World Cup winners
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in 1992. Earls first began playing underage rugby for Thomond, as an openside flanker, and started secondary school at
St Munchin's College St. Munchin's College is a boys–only Roman Catholic secondary school in Limerick, Ireland. It was founded by The Most Reverend John G. Young (bishop), John Young, Bishop of Limerick in 1796. As of January 2020, a total of 657 boys were enrolle ...
, before moving to St Nessan's Community College, which was closer to home. A move into midfield led to Earls being convinced to return to St Munchin's, and he won the Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup with the college in 2006. Earls went on to play for
Ireland Schools The Irish Schoolboys rugby union team is the national team for secondary school students and under-18 school players in Ireland. There is an equivalent Ireland under 18 clubs side that play international rugby. Role The Irish Schoolboys side re ...
and then joined the Munster Academy, during which time he played for Ireland Under-19s, Ireland Under-20s, with whom he won a Grand Slam in the 2007
Six Nations Under 20s Championship The Six Nations Under 20s Championship is an international rugby union tournament. It is the under-20s equivalent of the Six Nations Championship. Originally the tournament was in an under-21 format but changed to under-20s in 2008. England ...
, Ireland 7s and Munster A, before earning a professional contract with Munster and moving to Garryowen. Like his father before him, Earls then played for Young Munster.


Munster


2006–2012

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 Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
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 a
hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...
in the
Celtic League The Celtic League is a pan-Celtic organization, founded in 1961, that aims to promote modern Celtic identity and culture in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man – referred to as the Celtic nations; it places pa ...
against
Dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...
in September 2008 and a brace in the
Heineken Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
quarter-final against Ospreys in May 2009 Earls started against
Northampton Saints Northampton Saints (officially Northampton Rugby Football Club) is a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The club plays in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby union. It was formed in 1880 as "Northampton St. ...
in Munster's 31–27 round 1 2009–10 Heineken Cup defeat on 10 October 2009. Earls also started the 41–10 round 2 win against Benetton on 17 October 2009. He then started the 24–23 round 3 win against
Perpignan Perpignan (, , ; ; ) is the prefectures in France, prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales departments of France, department in Southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the Me ...
on 11 December 2009. He also started the reverse round 4 fixture on 20 December 2009, which Munster won 37–14. Earls scored two tries in the round 5 44–7 win against Benetton on 16 January 2010. Earls also started the 12–9 round 6 victory against
Northampton Saints Northampton Saints (officially Northampton Rugby Football Club) is a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The club plays in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby union. It was formed in 1880 as "Northampton St. ...
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 Biarritz ( , , , ; also spelled ; ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. It is a luxu ...
on 2 May 2010. Earls 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 ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
to win the
2011 Magners League Grand Final The 2010-11 Celtic League Grand Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Celtic League season. The final was won by Munster who defeated Leinster by 19–9 at Thomond Park to claim their third Celtic League title. Background and Build Up 20 ...
. He injured his knee in the first minute of Munster's
Pro12 The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...
match against Leinster on 4 November 2011, and was ruled out for 4–6 weeks. He made his return against
Scarlets The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...
in Munster's
2011–12 Heineken Cup The 2011–12 Heineken Cup was the 17th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. The final was held at Twickenham on Saturday, 19 May 2012, kicking off at ...
round 4 fixture on 18 December 2011. Earls also started against
Castres Castres (; ''Castras'' in the Languedocian dialect, Languedocian dialect of Occitan language, Occitan) is the sole Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department in the Occitania (adminis ...
on 14 January 2012. He also started in Munster's 51–26 win against
Northampton Saints Northampton Saints (officially Northampton Rugby Football Club) is a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The club plays in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby union. It was formed in 1880 as "Northampton St. ...
on 21 January 2012. Earls started in Munster's
2011–12 Heineken Cup The 2011–12 Heineken Cup was the 17th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. The final was held at Twickenham on Saturday, 19 May 2012, kicking off at ...
quarter-final loss to
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
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 The 2011–12 Pro12 League (also known as the ''RaboDirect Pro12'' for sponsorship reasons) was the 11th season of the rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League, the second with its current 12-team format, and also the firs ...
. Earls started against
Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...
on 8 December 2012.


2013–2023

Earls started against
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
on 13 January 2013. Earls started against
Racing 92 Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...
on 20 January 2013. Earls started Munster's 16–10
2012–13 Heineken Cup The 2012–13 Heineken Cup was the 18th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. The tournament began with two pool matches on 12 October 2012 and ended with t ...
semi-final defeat against Clermont Auvergne on 27 April 2013. Earls scored a try in Munster's 19–15 victory against
Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
on 5 October 2013. He started in the 29–23 loss to
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
in round 1 of the
2013–14 Heineken Cup The 2013–14 Heineken Cup was the 19th and final season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. The pool stage began on 11 October 2013 and ran through to 17 ...
on 12 October 2013. He also started the 26–10 win against
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
in round 2 on 19 October 2013. He won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's round 3 36–8 win against
Perpignan Perpignan (, , ; ; ) is the prefectures in France, prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales departments of France, department in Southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the Me ...
on 8 December 2013. Earls also started the reverse fixture away to Perpignan on 14 December 2013. He started the 20–7 away win against
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
on 11 January 2013, scoring a try in a win that secured quarter-final qualification. Earls started against
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. 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. 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 Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
on 5 April 2014, scoring a try in the 47-23 win. He started in Munster's 24–16 semi-final defeat to
Toulon Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department. The Commune of Toulon h ...
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 Zebre Parma (, meaning " Zebras") are an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR competitions from the 2012–13 season. They are based in Parma (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. They are operated by t ...
on 10 January 2015. Earls came off the bench against
Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...
in round 5 of the
2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup The 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup was the first season of the European Rugby Champions Cup (20th overall), the annual rugby union club competition for teams from the top six nations in European rugby, and the 20th season of professional ...
on 17 January 2015, winning his 100th cap for Munster. He started against
Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Its team play in Premiership Rugby, and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as ...
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 The Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and beca ...
on 28 February 2015. He scored a try in Munster's 42–20 win against
Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...
on 28 March 2015. Earls scored a try in the 34–3 away win against Edinburgh on 11 April 2015. Earls started the opening pool game of the
2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup The 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup was the second European Rugby Champions Cup championship (21st overall), the annual rugby union club competition for teams from the top six nations in European rugby. The European Rugby Champions Cup rep ...
against Benetton on 14 November 2015. He started against
Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its home ...
in the Champions Cup on 12 December 2015. In January 2016, Earls signed a new three-year contract with Munster and the IRFU. On 22 October 2016, Earls was sent-off in Munster's 38–17 win against
Glasgow Warriors The Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and beca ...
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 32–7 away win against
Racing 92 Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...
. Earls scored two tries in Munster's 23–17 defeat at the hands of
Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
in the
2017–18 Pro14 The 2017–18 PRO14 (also known as the ''Guinness PRO14'' for sponsorship reasons) was the seventeenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Pro14, Celtic League. It is the first season to be referred to as t ...
on 7 October 2017. He scored a try and earned the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's 48–3 win against
Castres Castres (; ''Castras'' in the Languedocian dialect, Languedocian dialect of Occitan language, Occitan) is the sole Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department in the Occitania (adminis ...
on 21 January 2018, a win that secured a home quarter-final in the
2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup The 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup was the fourth European Rugby Champions Cup championship (23rd overall), the annual rugby union club competition for teams from the top six nations in European rugby and was the twenty-third season of pa ...
. A knee injury sustained during the Six Nations with Ireland ruled Earls out for 6 weeks. He won his 150th cap for Munster in the provinces 27–22 Champions Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of
Racing 92 Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...
on 22 April 2018. Earls was named the 2018 Munster Rugby Player of the Year in April 2018, having previously been nominated for the same award in 2010. Earls was also the Munster Academy Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year in 2007 and 2009 respectively, making him the first Munster player to win all three awards. He scored a try and won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's 20–16 win against
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
on 5 May 2018, a win that saw Munster progress to the semi-finals of the 2017–18 Pro14. In his first appearance of the 2018–19 season on 29 September 2018, Earls scored a try in Munster's 64–7 win against
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
in round 5 of the
2018–19 Pro14 The 2018–19 Pro14 (also known as the '' Guinness Pro14'' for sponsorship reasons) is the eighteenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It was the second season to be referred to as the '' ...
. Earls signed a contract extension with Munster and the IRFU in October 2018. He scored a
hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...
of tries in Munster's 44–14 win against
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
on 30 November 2018. Earls scored two tries, the latter the match-winner, in Munster 17–13 win against
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
in their
2018–19 European Rugby Champions Cup The 2018–19 European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is the fifth season of the European Rugby Champions Cup, the annual club rugby union competition run by European Professional Club Rugby (EC ...
quarter-final on 30 March 2019. Earls signed a one-year contract extension with the IRFU in March 2021, and scored two tries in Munster's 40–33 home defeat against
Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
in the last 16 of the 2020–21 Champions Cup on 3 April 2021. Earls signed a contract extension with Munster and the IRFU until the end of the
2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...
in May 2022. Having suffered a thigh injury minutes into his first appearance of the season for Munster in September 2022, Earls returned after 11 weeks out as a replacement in Munster's 18–13 defeat at home against Toulouse in round one of the 2022–23 Champions Cup on 11 December 2022. Earls earned his 200th cap for Munster in their 22–22 draw away to South African the
Sharks Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...
in round 18 of the
2022–23 United Rugby Championship The 2022–23 United Rugby Championship was the 22nd season of the professional rugby union competition United Rugby Championship. It began on 16 September 2022 and ended on 27 May 2023. For sponsorship reasons it was known in South Africa as Vod ...
on 22 April 2023, becoming the fourteenth player to do so for the province. He came on as a replacement in Munster's 19–14 win against the
Stormers The Stormers (known for sponsorship reasons as the DHL Stormers) and the academic team DHL Stormers is a South African professional rugby union team based in Cape Town in the Western Cape that competes in the United Rugby Championship, a tra ...
in the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
of the
2022–23 United Rugby Championship The 2022–23 United Rugby Championship was the 22nd season of the professional rugby union competition United Rugby Championship. It began on 16 September 2022 and ended on 27 May 2023. For sponsorship reasons it was known in South Africa as Vod ...
on 27 May 2023. Following Ireland's exit from the
2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...
on 14 October, Earls, whose contract with the IRFU expired after the tournament, confirmed his retirement from rugby.


Ireland


2008–2013

Earls made his debut for
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
in November 2008 against
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
in
Thomond Park Thomond Park is a stadium in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Munster Rugby and has Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. Limerick FC played home games in Thomond Park from 2013 to 2015 in the Le ...
. He scored his first international try with his first touch of the ball. Earls was selected in Ireland's squad for the 2009 November Tests. He came on for the injured
Luke Fitzgerald Luke Matthew Fitzgerald (born 13 September 1987) is a former rugby union player. He played at Wing (rugby union), winger or Fullback (rugby union), fullback for Leinster Rugby, Leinster. He retired in June 2016. Having previously studied at Bla ...
against
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and started against
Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...
, a game in which he scored two tries, and
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. He played in all 5 of Ireland's
2010 Six Nations Championship The 2010 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2010 RBS 6 Nations due to sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 11th series of the Six Nations Championship and the 116th international championship, an annual rugby union competition b ...
games, starting 4 of them. He scored a try against
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
and scored two more against
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, finishing as joint top try scorer with
Tommy Bowe Thomas John Bowe (born 22 February 1984) is an Irish television presenter and former rugby union player from County Monaghan, Ireland. He played on the wing for Ulster, Ospreys, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions. After his playing career ...
,
Shane Williams Shane Mark Williams, (born 26 February 1977) is a Welsh former rugby union player most famous for his long and successful tenure as a wing for the Ospreys and the Wales national team. He also played scrum-half on occasion. Williams is the r ...
and James Hook. Earls was selected in Ireland's squad for their 2010 tour of New Zealand and Australia, though he had to pull out of the squad due to a groin injury. 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 The 2011 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2011 RBS 6 Nations due to sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 12th series of the Six Nations Championship, and the 117th edition of the international championship. The annual rugby uni ...
, four on the left-wing and one at fullback. Earls was selected in Ireland's squad for the
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 World Rugby, International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japa ...
warm-ups in August, playing in both tests against
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. He was selected in Ireland's final 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand. He started on the wing against the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in Ireland's first
Pool C Pool may refer to: Bodies of water * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a roc ...
game, and again against
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
during their historic 15–6 victory over the Wallabies. He was switched to outside-centre against
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and scored two tries. He returned to the left-wing for Ireland's final Pool C game against
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
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 Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
. This total of five tries made him Ireland's top try scorer at the
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 World Rugby, International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japa ...
. Earls was selected in Ireland's 24-man squad for the
2012 Six Nations Championship The 2012 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2012 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 13th series of the Six Nations Championship. The annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship was ...
. He was named in the team to face
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
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. Earls 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 Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside Centre (rugby union), centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster Rugby, Leinster and for Ireland national rugby union te ...
. 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. Earls was named in Ireland squad for the
2013 Six Nations Championship The 2013 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2013 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 14th series of the Six Nations Championship, the annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship ...
on 17 January 2013, and came off the bench against Wales in Ireland's opening 30–22 win, and their 12–6 defeat against England on 10 February 2013. He came into the starting 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.


2014–2018

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 The Ireland Wolfhounds (also known as Ireland A and Ireland B) are the second national rugby union team of Ireland, behind the Ireland national team. History The Wolfounds previously competed in the Churchill Cup together with the England Sax ...
in their game against
England Saxons England A is England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England Saxons. England A play a key role in the development of emerg ...
on 30 January 2015. He was named in the Ireland squad for the opening rounds of the
2015 Six Nations Championship The 2015 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2015 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 16th series of the Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union tournament. It was contested by E ...
on 1 February 2015. Earls was named in the 45-man training squad for the
2015 Rugby World Cup The IRB 2015 Rugby World Cup was the eighth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial rugby union world championship. The tournament was hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October. Of the 20 countries competing in the World Cup in 2011, there was ...
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 35–21 win for Ireland. He started the warm-up game against
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
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 Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
on 19 September 2015. Earls started the second pool game against
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
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 Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
on 4 October 2015, scoring Ireland's only try in their 16–9 win and, in doing so, overtaking
Brian O'Driscoll Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside Centre (rugby union), centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster Rugby, Leinster and for Ireland national rugby union te ...
as Ireland's leading try-scorer in Rugby World Cup history. Earls started Ireland's 24–9 win against
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
on 11 October 2015. He started for Ireland in the 43–20 quarter-final defeat against
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
on 18 October 2015. On 20 January 2016, Earls was named in Ireland's 35-man squad for the
2016 Six Nations Championship The 2016 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2016 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by The Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 17th series of the Six Nations Championship, the annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship. It ...
. On 7 February 2016, he started against Wales in Ireland's opening match of the Six Nations. He missed the game against France on 13 February, but returned to start for Ireland against England, Italy and Scotland. 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 South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
in South Africa. He missed the second test defeat, but returned to the starting XV for the third test, which Ireland lost 19–13. On 26 October 2016, Earls was named in Ireland's squad for the
2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals The 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals, also known as the ''2016 Autumn Internationals'' in the Northern Hemisphere, were a series of international rugby union matches predominantly played between the visiting Southern Hemisphere countries ...
. However, his two-week suspension as a result of the red card he received against
Glasgow Warriors The Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and beca ...
meant that Earls missed Ireland's historic first ever victory against
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
in
Soldier Field Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side, Chicago, Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears from the National ...
,
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
on 5 November 2016. He returned to the Ireland team for their 55–21 victory against
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, scoring a try, and also scored a try in the 27–24 win against
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. On 23 January 2017, Earls was named in the Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the
2017 Six Nations Championship The 2017 Six Nations Championship was the 18th series of the Six Nations Championship, the annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship. The tournament was also known as the RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by NatWest ...
. In Ireland's opening fixture of the tournament against
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
on 4 February, Earls scored a try, though Ireland lost 27–22. On 11 February, Earls scored two tries in Ireland's 63–10 win in the
Stadio Olimpico Stadio Olimpico (; ), colloquially known as l'Olimpico (The Olympic), is an Italian multi-purpose sports venue located in Rome. Seating over 70,000 spectators, it is the largest sports facility in Rome and the second-largest in Italy, after ...
against
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. He also started against France, Wales and England. He was also selected in the squad for the 2017 Summer Tour against the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. On 10 June 2017, in the one-off test against the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, Earls scored two tries, made three assists and won the Man-of-the-Match award in Ireland's 55–19 win in the Red Bull Arena,
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. On 17 June 2017, Earls again scored two tries, this time in Ireland's 50–22 win against
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
in
Shizuoka Stadium is a sports stadium used primarily for football. The stadium is in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, although the stadium itself is merely the centrepiece of the larger Ogasayama Sports Park which extends into neighbouring Kakegawa. T ...
, Shizuoka. His tally of nine tries in an international season set a new record for Ireland. He also started the second test against Japan, which Ireland won 35–13 to seal the series victory. Earls started every game for Ireland as they won a Grand Slam in the
2018 Six Nations Championship The 2018 Six Nations Championship (known as the Natwest 6 Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 19th Six Nations Championship, the annual international rugby union tournament for the six major European rugby union nations. The championship wa ...
, scoring a try against
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. He won the ''Players' Player of the Year'' award at the 2018 Rugby Players Ireland Awards in May of that year, becoming the fourth Munster player in a row to win the award after
Paul O'Connell Paul Jeremiah O'Connell (born 20 October 1979) is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. When he retired, he was Ireland's third most-capped player (108) and the eighteenth most-capped international player in rugby union history. Duri ...
(2015), CJ Stander (2016) and
Conor Murray Gerard Conor Murray (born 20 April 1989) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for United Rugby Championship club Munster. He is set to leave at the end of the season. Early life Murray was born in Limerick, where he atten ...
(2017). Earls started in all three tests in Ireland's historic 2–1 series victory against
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in June 2018. During the 2018 Autumn Tests, Earls started in Ireland's 28–17 win against
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
on 10 November, and in their 16–9 win against
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
on 17 November, a win that was Earls' first against the All Blacks and Ireland's first ever win in Dublin against New Zealand.


2019–2023

Earls was ever-present for Ireland during the
2019 Six Nations Championship The 2019 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 20th Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England national rugby union team, England ...
, starting in the 32–20 opening defeat against
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, the 22–13 win against
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, the 26–16 win against
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, the 26–14 win against
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and the 25–7 defeat against
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
in the final round, a victory that saw the Welsh win the grand slam. Earls was selected in the 31-man Ireland squad for the
2019 Rugby World Cup The 2019 Rugby World Cup () was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening matc ...
, despite injury preventing Earls from featuring in the first three warm-up matches. During the World Cup itself, Earls started in Ireland's shock 19–12 defeat against hosts
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, the 35–0 win against
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, the 47–5 win against
Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...
in their final pool game, and the comprehensive 46–14 defeat against
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
in the quarter-finals, which brought an end to Ireland's 2019 World Cup. Retained by new head coach
Andy Farrell Andrew David Farrell (born 30 May 1975) is an English professional rugby union coach and former rugby league and rugby union player. Farrell has been head coach of the Ireland national team since 2019. Farrell earned 34 caps for Great Britai ...
in his squad for the
2020 Six Nations Championship The 2020 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 21st Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England national rugby union team, England ...
, Earls featured off the bench in Ireland's 24–14 win against defending-champions Wales and their 24–12 defeat against England, before the tournament was suspended due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. With the usual format of end-of-year international tests not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ireland instead participated in the
Autumn Nations Cup The Autumn Nations Cup was a rugby union competition held in November and December 2020 in place of the usual Autumn rugby union internationals, Autumn internationals series typically held in the same period each year, as many teams were avoidin ...
. Earls was a replacement in Ireland's 32–9 opening win against Wales on 13 November, and started in the 18–7 defeat against England on 21 November, the 23–10 win against
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
on 29 November, and the 31–16 win against Scotland on 5 December, which secured a third-place finish for Ireland in the tournament. Earls was again ever-present for Ireland during the
2021 Six Nations Championship The 2021 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 22nd Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, ...
, starting in their 21–16 away defeat against Wales in their opening fixture of the
2021 Six Nations Championship The 2021 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 22nd Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, ...
on 7 February 2021 and the 15–13 home defeat against France, featuring as a replacement in the 48–10 away win against Italy, then returning to the starting XV for the 27–24 away win against Scotland and the 32–18 win against
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in the final round. During the 2021 Autumn Nations Series, Earls featured as a replacement in Ireland's 60–5 win against
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
on 6 November, in the famous 29–20 win against
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
on 13 November, and in the 53–7 win against
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
in Ireland's final fixture of the series on 21 November. Earls missed the 2022 Six Nations Championship due to a thigh injury, but, having returned from that injury with Munster, Earls was selected in the squad for the 2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand, and started in the uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks on 29 June, which ended in a 32–17 defeat for Ireland, before also starting in the first test against
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
on 2 July, scoring a try in Ireland's 42–19 defeat. Earls captained Ireland for the first time in their second uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks on 12 July, which Ireland won 30–24 to draw the series 1–1, before featuring off the bench in the 32–22 win against New Zealand in the third test on 16 July that secured a historic 2–1 series victory for Ireland, their first ever in New Zealand. Earls missed Ireland's 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals, 2022 Autumn Nations Series due to a thigh injury and also missed the 2023 Six Nations Championship due to a calf injury, but returned for Ireland in their 33–17 win against
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
on 5 August in both nations' first 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches, 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up match, and earned his 100th cap for Ireland in their second warm-up match on 19 August, scoring one try in their 29–10 win against
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
having replaced James Lowe (rugby union), James Lowe during the second-half. Earls was selected in Ireland's 33-man squad for the
2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...
, and started in their opening 82–8 win against
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
on 9 September. After Ireland's exit in the quarter-finals, Earls announced his retirement along with teammate Johnny Sexton.


British & Irish Lions

On 21 April 2009, Earls was selected as part of the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He made his British & Irish Lions, Lions debut on 30 May 2009, in a nervy, error-strewn performance against a Highveld XV, 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 South Africa 'A' national rugby union team, 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 (rugby team), Western Province and Southern Kings in mid-week games, but he did not win any full Lions caps on the tour.


Personal life

Earls and his long-time partner, Edel McGee, married in Quilty, County Clare on 1 July 2016. Together they have three daughters, Ella-May, Laurie and Emie. Earls released his autobiography - ''Fight or Flight: My Life, My Choices'' - in October 2021. In the same month, during an appearance on ''The Late Late Show (Irish talk show), The Late Late Show'', Earls revealed he had been diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder eight years previously and opened up about his mental health struggles, with then-Munster head coach Johann van Graan, amongst others, heaping praise upon Earls for his honesty and bravery. The book was met with widespread praise, and won ''Sports Book of the Year'' at the Irish Book Awards.


Statistics


International tries


International analysis by opposition

''Correct as of 9 September 2023''


Honours


Individual

*Munster Rugby John McCarthy Award for Academy Player of the Year: **Winner (1): 2007 *Munster Rugby Young Player of the Year: **Winner (1): 2009 *Munster Rugby Player of the Year: **Winner (1): 2018 * Rugby Players Ireland Players' Player of the Year: **Winner (1): 2018


St Munchin's College

* Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup: **Winner (1): 2006


Munster

*
United Rugby Championship The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...
: **Winner (3): 2008–09 Celtic League, 2008–09, 2010–11 Celtic League, 2010–11, 2022–23 United Rugby Championship, 2022–23 *European Rugby Champions Cup: **Winner (1): 2007–08 Heineken Cup, 2007–08


Ireland

*Six Nations Championship: **Winner (1): 2018 Six Nations Championship, 2018 * Grand Slam: **Winner (1): 2018 Six Nations Championship, 2018 * Triple Crown (rugby union), Triple Crown: ** Winner (1): 2018 Six Nations Championship, 2018


British & Irish Lions

*British & Irish Lions tours: **Tourist (1): 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, 2009


References


External links


Munster ProfileIreland ProfileBritish & Irish Lions Profile
*
URC Profile
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Earls, Keith 1987 births Living people People with bipolar disorder Rugby union players from Limerick (city) People educated at St Munchin's College Irish rugby union players Young Munster players Garryowen Football Club players Thomond RFC players Munster Rugby players Ireland international rugby union players Ireland Wolfhounds international rugby union players British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland 2011 Rugby World Cup players 2015 Rugby World Cup players 2019 Rugby World Cup players 2023 Rugby World Cup players Rugby union centres Rugby union fullbacks Rugby union wings