Keith Earls confident of winning fitness race for New Zealand showdown

The Munster is looking to ramp up his recovery from a hamstring problem as Ireland insist they are still selecting from a full squad for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final

SIT IT OUT: Keith Earls of Ireland before the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match against Scotland. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Keith Earls is looking to ramp up his recovery from a hamstring problem as Ireland insist they are still selecting from a full squad for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand.

Test centurion Earls, who started the opening pool game against Romania but has not been involved since, was unable to take part in Ireland’s pre-game warm-up before last Saturday’s Pool B finale win against Scotland having sat out with a hamstring issue.

Ireland wings Mack Hansen (calf) and James Lowe (eye) failed to reach the second half of the 36-14 win at Stade de France while replacement lock James Ryan finished the game with a wrist injury that required a visit to a specialist on Monday. Yet Ireland team manager Mick Kearney issued an optimistic squad fitness update on Monday and Earls, 34, confirmed his belief he will be available for selection to face the All Blacks this weekend.

“Yeah, it’s good, it’s good,” Earls said. “Obviously I picked up a small bit of a niggle in the last couple of days, but I was back running again yesterday (Sunday), and looking to push it on a bit more today and during the next couple of days. Nothing too serious, thank god.” 

Ireland had ruled out Earls and centre Robbie Henshaw with hamstring issues prior to the match and Kearney said there would be no changes to Andy Farrell’s 33-man squad at the present time, indicating a comfort within the camp that all their injury issues were currently short-term and manageable.

"James Ryan is seeing a specialist and we're hoping for better news than originally anticipated,” Kearney said.

“Mack Hansen took a bang to his calf but is improving. Both him and James Lowe are making good strides. Keith Earls and Robbie Henshaw are both in contention as they progress during the week. Apart from that, just some usual bumps and bruises after a physical Test match.

"No call ups, no one added to the squad, and at this stage, no one ruled out for the match against New Zealand on Saturday night."

Kearney added that there would be greater clarity on Ryan’s injury, sustained following his introduction as a 49th-minute replacement for Tadhg Beirne when players fell on him, within the next 24 hours.

"We won't have a definitive on James until after he sees the specialist but certainly there would be more optimism around James than probably what was originally anticipated.

“He’s seeing the specialist today so we should know more either later this evening, tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon or whenever. Certainly within the next 24 hours we should have a clearer picture of where James is at.”