School daze still resonates for Earls

IT didn’t take any great persuasive powers on the part of Munster Rugby to entice Keith Earls to attend yesterday’s launch of the 2010 Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Cups.

He has a deep and abiding affection for the competition and even though he is now a Lion, an Irish international and key member of the Munster team, Earls readily admits that he wouldn’t swap the senior schools cup medal he picked up with St Munchin’s in 2006 for anything.

As befits a youngster born in Moyross, Keith linked up with Thomond RFC from the age of eight. And as the son of the outstanding Young Munster and Munster wing-forward Ger, the open side of the scrum was his first choice of position.