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.

The arrival of Casey Laulala at Munster has complicated the realisation of that ambition somewhat. So too has his versatility, the fact that he is, as Kidney puts it, “an all-round footballer”. Brian O’Driscoll’s ankle injury has opened the door though, although his skills might be required at full-back.

An increasing maturity means that his contribution to the cause is greater than a direct involvement with the ball and that is not always in ways that are obvious to the naked eye.

“Keith is one of these guys – it can be both a blessing and a conundrum – that he has the ability to play in several different positions” said Kidney yesterday. “And because he just is an all-round footballer, he is one of these guys that can manage it.

“Good footballers, when they come, through can play in different positions and it’s depending then on who is in the squad at any given time.

“Keith’s preferred position is 13 but so was John Kelly’s before him. The trouble is, Brian has wanted to play there for a long time himself. So lads will prefer to play anywhere rather than not be playing.

“He’s talking really well out in the backs. I think the overall experience that he has picked up over the last four years… he has really matured as a player. He’s really contributing. He’s like a junior senior player.

“His overall game (is improving)… the amount of talk and direction that goes around the pitch is massive. Sometimes by just saying the right things you cut off space because not alone do you help the guy next to you, but you also put a little fear in the opposition’s ear.

“That’s one of the things that you don’t get when you’re watching it on TV or from a distance, the amount of conversation that happens out on the pitch… Keith, as a younger player, has actually filled in that fairly well and that’s a help in defence and attack.”

If Earls is a “junior senior” player, the likes of Paddy Jackson and Luke Marshall are complete rookies that have brought huge confidence with them into the camp as a result of Ulster’s unbeaten start to the season.

Gordon D’Arcy was just 19 when he made his international debut in the 1999 World Cup against Romania, so he knows all about precociousness. He isn’t quite sure where the intervening 13 years have gone but enjoys being around the next generation.

“You go through being the young fella and challenging the status quo and then you suddenly turn around where you are the status quo and everybody else is a lot younger than you,” smiles D’Arcy.

“I can see Marshy is out there, he’s come in for his first week and he could be a seasoned pro for the attitude he brings to training. Simon Zebo, Conor Murray in the last 12 months coming through. They bring that kind of freshness, willingness to learn and try new things.

“Paddy Jackson had a quiet, little word with me in changing a small, little thing that had a nice, good ripple effect across the backline.”

D’Arcy was involved in some sparring with Irish Olympic boxing captain Darren O’Neill on Wednesday, while head coach, Billy Walsh and Beijing medallist Kenny Egan spoke to the players. The duo were “infectious” and the interaction was “great timing for us,” according to the Wexford man.

“We did their warm-up with; a different level altogether. It was great comparing notes with them. They were talking about how their cycle for Rio (2016 Olympics) has started already. In one sense, our preparation for (World Cup) 2015 is starting with these set of matches.”