KEITH EARLS IS IN a good place at the moment.
Earls was wheeled out to face the media at Ireland’s new base in Guildford yesterday with the in-form winger greeting each member of the press with a firm handshake and a smile.
You get the feeling he is thoroughly enjoying this environment not to mention a decent run of games. After two injury-ravaged seasons, Earls made his first appearance under Joe Schmidt in Ireland’s 35-21 win over Wales in the pre-World Cup warm-up series. He impressed throughout August and has caught the eye during the opening victories against Canada and Romania
“Yeah, I’ve been enjoying this since January,” said Earls on his recent run of form. “I’m enjoying being back playing and being injury-free. It’s been good, thank God, it’s been great.
“I’m just focusing on myself. Focusing on my strengths and not focusing on trying to be like other players or anything like that.
“Obviously the big focus is on my body. I’m 24-7 trying to look after it. I’ve no niggles, I’ve nothing, which is great. I’m getting my work done early in the week regarding our moves and stuff, our game-plan, and I just seem more relaxed at the weekend.”
Certainly, Earls looks a far more powerful unit this season. There was a moment during the clash with Canada where Earls barged through the attempted tackle of full-back Matt Evans.
“It was good, it’s usually the opposite way around!” Earls remarked. “I haven’t done that since school, I think. It was just a reaction out of me. I surprised myself because he was coming in at a good speed and I just sort of braced myself.
“I haven’t bulked up or anything like that. I don’t lift as heavy as I can anymore, or that I used to be able to in the gym.
“I was lifting big in the gym years ago trying to get up to 94/95 kg and I kept breaking down. So we’ve spoken to the lads in Munster and spoken to Jason Cowman and we found a programme that’s good for me. Literally, it might be just doing one weights session a week and then the rest is on the rehab and looking after myself.”
Around this time four years ago, Earls crossed for a brace of tries against Italy in Dunedin as Ireland cruised to a 36-6 win to secure top spot in Pool C at the 2011 World Cup.
Earls was celebrating his 24th birthday that night and will turn 28 on Friday. The Azzurri will provide the opposition once again at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. They might not be the force they were at the previous World Cup in New Zealand, but Earls is taking nothing for granted against Jacques Brunel’s side.
“Every time we’ve played against Italy, it’s been aggressive. You see them during the national anthem. Well, when I’ve been watching them the last two years in the Six Nations, they’re really passionate; some of them are crying. They love playing for the jersey and they’re big men as well. The last time I played them, I did my shoulder. So, I’m sure it’s going to be physical. It’s going to be a tough game.”
Earls will have a room to himself in Guildford this week. The Moyross man was rooming with Paul O’Connell in the build-up to the Romania match.
So, what’s it like sharing a room with the Irish skipper? Netflix? Xbox? A game of cards?
“The TV doesn’t go on in our room,” Earls added. “He might do a bit of reading, I do a bit of reading and we chat about the old days.
“He’s played with my father (Ger), I’ve been around Paul when he was playing with Young Munster and I travelled on buses as a young lad. We’d talk about the characters that were in Young Munster.”
All seems well with Earls, long may it continue.
