Keith Earls eager to grab opportunity to stake Ireland claim

Keith Earls has more reason than most to feel that opportunity will knock for him in an Irish Wolfhounds jersey tonight, writes Simon Lewis.

Earls is one of 14 Test-capped players on duty for Ireland in the ‘A’ international against the England Saxons at the newly-redeveloped Musgrave Park in Cork.

He will line up at outside centre with fellow 2009 Lions Gordon D’Arcy and Luke Fitzgerald alongside him at inside centre and left wing respectively but of those 14, the 27-year-old Munster back stands apart as the only one not to feature yet in a Joe Schmidt selection.