Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FLIGHT OF THE EARLS
That giant leap of faith in Paris before Sexton’s drop-goal has propelled Munster star Keith to ‘career highlight’: I’m just happy Johnny had the balls to kick it to me!
KEITH EARLS isn’t coy about what last Saturday meant to him.
“That game was definitely my proudest moment in Irish rugby, in my career, because I haven’t won a championship or anything like that,” he admits.
“That was my first win in Paris and the way the game went, the last kick of the game, it was definitely my proudest moment, my biggest moment.”
It’s been said that Johnny Sexton’s last-gasp drop-goal winner against France will count for nothing if Ireland don’t kick on to 6 Nations glory on March 17. But for Earls, for now, it means everything.
The 30-year-old wasn’t old enough to feature in Munster’s two Heineken Cup triumphs and, subsequently, Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam triumph.
And, 16 months ago, when Ireland beat New Zealand in Chicago, Earls was at home – suspended after he was sent off in Munster’s first game back after Anthony Foley’s passing.
The way he’s been playing this season, the Thomond man clearly wants to leave a legacy in his time left at the top. That scintillating form made a vital difference in Paris as Ireland battled to put Sexton in position for that drop-goal attempt.
Earls had been waving and hollering at
Sexton to find him on the right wing in space.
“It’s hard enough to communicate,” said
Earls. “If you’re roaring and shouting then their winger looks sees you and fan out.
“So it’s a telepathic thing with all 10s – you hold your width and if they see a hand out, it’s on. Sometimes I might just have to go off his body language if he sees the space.”
Sexton eventually delivered an exquisite crossfield ball. Earls’ mindset at that moment? “To catch it at all costs,” he laughed.
“It was actually a perfect kick because it made me come in off the touchline, where it could’ve been easier to knock me into touch. It was the only play I could see that was on and I could’ve easily not taken the pressure – kept my hand down, not called for it.
“They called me for a knockon just before, which was a bit harsh. Some players could’ve gone into their shells after that.
“I was just happy that in a pressure environment, Johnny had the balls to kick it to me.
“Felix ( Jones) has a good saying in Munster for the lads out wide, ‘If you’re stuck you have to fight like a rat in a corner’. That stuck out in my head.”
Ireland made frustrating errors throughout but when it counted kept their focus through 41 phases to deliver the opportunity for Sexton.
“Nearly everyone would’ve touched the ball – it’s probably the best bit of play I’ve been involved in,” Earls stressed.
“Teams will find it hard to see us off – we’ll keep playing until 85 or 90 minutes, if that’s what it takes. Hopefully it doesn’t have to go to the final kick. But we’ll take massive confidence from it.”
Earls’ confidence is already sky-high. Having children and Foley’s tragic death have erased the fear he experienced playing with Munster legends like Paul O’connell and Ronan O’gara.
“You drive yourself mad,” he smiled. “Unfortunately it took me about 10 years. Chatting to Paulie recently, there’s no point in getting stressed about a game of rugby. It’s not life-threatening. It’s all forgotten about when you retire. There’s worse going on in
the world. “I’m definitely more professional. I probably took it for granted, thought my talent alone would get me there. “I found harsh lessons. You need to keep working every day. That’s what I do now, constantly looking for an extra one per cent. That’s a 24-7 pursuit. “I didn’t really look after myself back then. I’m faster and more agile now. I had bad habits from my parents, eating Chinese on a Sunday night. It was changing all the time back then with diets.
“I got obsessed with trying to be heavy, then with trying to be skinny. I just found myself now, thank God.”