KEATLEY PREPARED IF CALLED UPON

IAN KEATLEY insists he is ready to shine for Ireland in case of an emergency with Johnny Sexton next Saturday. The Munster out-half drove out of Carton House last spring believing he had played the last time for his country after earning his fifth cap since a 2009 debut. However, with Joey Carbery injured, Paddy Jackson unavailable and Ian Madigan overseas, Keatley kicked Ireland to victory last Saturday against Fiji and he is now in line to be the bench back-up against Argentina this weekend. ‘I’m just prepared, no matter what happens. I could be on after five minutes on the weekend or else I mightn’t get on at all, but I’m ready no matter what the circumstances,’ he said. ‘I mightn’t have that much international experience, but I have got a lot of experience with Munster and Connacht, a lot of European Cup experience. That is all I can do, believe in that experience and just bring that into the international scene. ‘My earlier years in Ireland camp, I was learning the calls but didn’t have them on the tip of my tongue. I’m now more comfortable running the show a bit when I do get my chance. ‘I went through a bad time with my place-kicking two years ago and I remember people were, “Do you not practice?” I practiced so much I was driving myself nuts. ‘Relaxing away from the game and separating rugby from my personal life [has made a big difference]. Then the stuff that happened with Anthony [Foley] last year, it puts a lot of things in perspective and with [a new] family now, I just have different views on life.’