‘Keith Earls is a top-class human being, a legend of a bloke’ says Johnny Sexton

It was Sexton who was ultimately asked to sum up what the Limerick legend had brought to Irish rugby over a long and illustrious career.

LEGEND: Keith Earls of Ireland before the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between Ireland and New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Retirements are rarely satisfying. Some players are happy to leave the life behind them but for those still operating at a high level and in an elite team they must be the most difficult of partings.

Johnny Sexton did at least get to see out his days on the pitch and in a position to rage against the dying of the light. Keith Earls had to watch his clock run out from the stand in Paris. Powerless to keep Father Time at bay for another handful of weeks.

Andy Farrell had said that the Munster winger would have been fit for next weekend if Ireland were still involved by then but, alas, they won’t. The expectation was that Earls would hang up the boots after this tournament but it fell to the Ireland coach to confirm it after the World Cup quarter-final defeat to the All Blacks.

It was Sexton, sat alongside him in the post-match press conference, who was ultimately asked to sum up what the Limerick legend had brought to Irish rugby over a long and illustrious career.

"He's a legend and one of my best mates, not just in rugby but in life. I spend a lot of time with his family away from rugby and he's a top-class human being, a legend of a bloke. You couldn't meet a more popular lad in the squad. He's part of our team off the pitch.

"On the pitch, he's a legend as well. He's had some massive days, the 100th cap. I'm gutted for him that he picked up an injury at a bad time so he couldn't be involved in the last couple of weeks but he'll go down as one of the very best for sure. This group will miss him, definitely."

Not just them.