'I can just concentrate now on the rugby': Keith Earls relieved to tie up Munster future

Keith Earls has spoken of his relief at getting a new contract finalised ahead of schedule in an exciting year for both Munster and Ireland.

Earls, 31, had 12 months to go on his existing deal with the IRFU, running to the end of next autumn’s Rugby World Cup in Japan but the Limerick wing has signed an extension that will keep him at Munster until the end of June 2021.

The Ireland wing is set to make his 155th appearance for Munster this weekend at home to Guinness PRO14 rivals Glasgow Warriors before joining up with the Ireland squad for the November internationals in Chicago against Italy a week on Saturday and Guinness Series home clashes with Argentina, New Zealand and the United States of America.

While Earls admitted “it would be hard to see me playing anywhere else,” he was also delighted to have nailed down the next chapter of his playing career ahead of the Test window, when he will be hoping to add to his 70 Ireland caps and 27 tries after making a comeback from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for the last fortnight.

“It’s great. Coming from Munster, growing up next to Thomond Park, not having to worry about contracts for the next few years, it’s great,” Earls said yesterday.

“I can just concentrate now on the rugby and I’m thrilled. My family are thrilled and I’m looking forward to the next couple of years. Usually they’re not done so early and I still had a year left on my current contract so to sign another two-year (deal), it’s brilliant.

“It’s massive. November’s going to be huge with four games, starting with Italy then Argentina, New Zealand and then the States as well so there’s a lot of rugby to be played and it’s going to be a busy year but it’s an extremely exciting year.”

Having missed out on Ireland’s back-to-back Six Nations successes under Joe Schmidt in 2014 and 2015, Earls won his first medal in Test rugby as a member of the Grand Slam-winning team last season.playing every game of the campaign and all three Tests in the summer’s series win over the Wallabies in Australia. The belated success has given him a hunger for more.

Silverware is the main thing and obviously we haven’t had it in a couple of years and it’s a main reason why I’ve re-signed with Ireland and Munster, to win silverware. After getting a taste it of last year with a Grand Slam, hopefully we can get a few trophies back to Munster.

Having missed both rounds of the new Heineken Champions Cup campaign due to a hamstring issue that forced his withdrawal from the starting line-up at Exeter Chiefs, minutes before kick-off, Earls is looking forward to making just his third appearance of the season on Saturday against Glasgow.

“I’m available for selection again this week and hopefully I can get out against a good Glasgow side. They’re good in all aspects of the game. They know when to kick, they know when to run and they’re quite physical as well so we’ll enjoy getting them back to Thomond Park and I suppose having a good go off each other.”