Keith Earls happy to play the father figure at Munster with ambitious new generation

He will soon be the last link to the Munster heroes of 2008 but Keith Earls has learned to leave the glory days behind and join an ambitious new generation eager to forge their own path in Europe.

Earls is still only 29 but his Munster experience goes back to a senior debut almost a decade ago in October 2007, and a first taste of European action as an unused replacement in the 2008 Heineken Cup final win over Toulouse.

Donnacha Ryan will be the only other Munster man on duty this weekend to have shared in that great day in Cardiff and the lock, also an unused sub, will soon be departing for pastures new .