Keith Earls: Ireland captain James Ryan reminds me of Paul O'Connell

James Ryan and Finlay Bealham training at the IRFU High Performance Centre. Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Keith Earls paid James Ryan the highest compliment as he compared his newest captain to Munster, Ireland and Lions legend Paul O’Connell.

Ryan will be just four days older than when his second-row predecessor first captained Ireland when he leads the team out at Twickenham on Saturday against England in the Autumn Nations Cup. O’Connell, who skippered Ireland 28 times in 108 Test appearances for his country, was 24 years and 117 days when led the men in green for the first time against France in Paris in 2004.