Ireland’s latest centurion Keith Earls eyes Rugby World Cup after ‘worst week of my life’

Veteran Ireland wing Keith Earls has revealed that he is eager to represent his country at a fourth Rugby World Cup after winning his 100th cap in their 29-10 victory over England on Saturday.

Earls came on as a second-half replacement at the Aviva Stadium and celebrated his milestone with a well-taken try in that game’s latter stages.

It was a fitting reward for the 35-year-old who went a year without playing at international level due to injury issues.

Did not return for sentimental reasons

He made his Test return in Ireland’s win over Italy earlier this month but is adamant that he is not back just for sentimental reasons as he is keen to be included in the men from the Emerald Isle’s squad for the global showpiece in France.

“That’s the reason I’m here, that’s the reason I came back for pre-season, that’s the reason I’m doing everything possible to stay fit,” he said.

“I have that burning desire to give myself the best chance of going to the World Cup and I tell you one thing I’d hate to be the coaches trying to pick their 33-man squad. It’s going to be tough.”

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell currently has 38 players in his squad but is set to name his 33-man group for the World Cup after next weekend’s encounter against Samoa in Bayonne.

Earls is a bashful character who admitted to feeling a little uncomfortable in the spotlight on Saturday and revealed that he feared being left embarrassed as an unused replacement after all the fanfare in the build-up to the game against England.

“I was saying to the lads, it was probably the worst week of my life with all the attention around the 100th cap,” he said.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done on Thursday trying to keep the tears out of my eyes around all of the lads.

“But I think I managed to do it, so that was grand.

“I’m delighted everything worked out perfectly and there’s not a better bunch of lads to do it with.

“It was hell sitting on the bench. It was nerve-wracking, thinking: ‘will he put me on? This will be very embarrassing after everything I’ve gone through’.”

Apart from receiving video messages from the likes of Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll and former coaches Declan Kidney and Joe Schmidt, Earls was presented with his milestone cap by Farrell, while captain Johnny Sexton and forwards coach Paul O’Connell made speeches.

Mack Hansen’s tribute

Meanwhile fellow speedster, Mack Hansen, shaved the initials KE and the number 100 into an eye-catching green haircut to pay homage to Earls.

“He actually came in with just his hair dyed green and then he got this idea he wanted to cut a shamrock into the side of his head,” said Earls.

“That kind of went a bit pear-shaped and then he was like, ‘let’s get KE 100 into my head’.

“I was sitting in the team room and I was like, I want no part in this and walked away and then Craig (Casey) sent me a picture and what a horrendous job they had done on it.

“That man (Hansen), he’s such a unique character in rugby.

“When you can act like that and cut your hair like that and then go out and perform like that, you just have to leave him be.”

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