Kidney: Earls growing in stature

Declan Kidney has hailed the increasing influence of Keith Earls within the Ireland squad.

While there remains an uncertainty – publicly anyway – about what the Limerick man’s role might be given the vacancies at outside centre and full-back and his own versatility, there is little doubt he will be expected to play a significant part.

Earls has spent most of his time in the green jersey on the wing but makes it very clear that he sees his future at 13.