Keith Earls won’t big up Black peril

It is remarkable to think there are still some things that represent a fresh challenge to an Ireland player set to win his 72nd cap this weekend, but for Keith Earls, playing against the All Blacks is one of them.

For all the titanic battles between Ireland and New Zealand since the agonising near-miss for Joe Schmidt’s men in November 2013, the 31-year-old wing has watched from afar and this Saturday’s Guinness Series showdown at the Aviva Stadium is about to scratch a long-irritating itch.