Earls in line for Irish team

MUNSTER rugby star Keith Earls is in line to add to his tally of Irish caps in the coming weeks with confirmation that Luke Fitzgerald is set to be sidelined for between four and six months due to a knee injury.


Twenty-two-year-old Keith Earls replaced the injured Fitzgerald during the second half of Ireland’s thrilling 20-20 draw with Australia at Croke Park on Sunday.
Following medical review and scans of his left knee it has been confirmed that Fitzgerald sustained a ruptured lateral collateral ligament which requires surgery and intensive post-operative rehabilitation.
The talented winger, who toured South Africa with the Lions in the summer, will miss Ireland’s remaining autumn Tests and the defence of their RBS 6 Nations title in the spring.
He was scheduled for surgery at the Sports Surgery Clinic this Tuesday with a projected recovery period of four to six months.
Former St. Nessan’s Community College and St. Munchin’s College star Earls is set to add to the two caps he won last season with Ireland due to play Fiji at the RDS this Saturday (5.15pm) and South Africa at Croke Park on Saturday week (2.30pm) in their final two autumn internationals.
The versatile Limerickman scored two tries for the Lions during this summer’s tour to South Africa and would relish the opportunity to pit his wits against the world champions in a Test match.
Keith Earls enjoyed a sensational international debut 12 months ago when he scored a try with virtually his first touch of the ball against Canada at Thomond Park.
Earls won his second cap a week later when introduced as a replacement against the All Blacks at Croke Park.
Earls, who has played on the wing, in the centre and at full-back was a member of Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning under-20 side in 2007.
He scored in each of Ireland’s A team matches at the 2007 Churchill Cup before making his full international debut last autumn.
Fourteen players have been added to the Ireland squad in the lead-up to the international clash with Fiji on Saturday. They include Munster players Tony Buckley, Denis Hurley, Felix Jones and Peter Stringer.
Meanwhile a number of Limerick-based players have been included in two Ireland under-19 squads which have been named to face Australian opposition in the coming weeks.
Two St. Munchin’s College players have been selected for the Ireland under-19 Schools squad to face their Australian counterparts at UCD on Friday, November 27 at 3pm.
Lukas Kunz, St. Munchin’s, is one of 10 backs selected for the squad while his school mate Tom Goggin is one of 13 forwards named in the squad for the game. The Ireland under-19 schools squad is coached by Terry McMaster and Bobby Byrne.
The Ireland under-19 squad, coached by Allen Clarke with Colin McEntee and Jonathan Bell, will play the Australian under-19s at Cork IT on December 2 (7pm).
Included among the 10 backs selected for that squad is Shannon’s Gareth Quinn-McDonagh.
On the club rugby front Garryowen are the only Limerick side to have made it through to this weekend’s quarter-finals of the AIB Cup. The ‘light blues’ face a tricky game against Blackrock at Stradbrook (2.30pm).
Garryowen advanced to the last eight of the competition with a convincing home victory over St. Mary’s College at Dooradoyle.
While Garryowen’s scheduled All-Ireland League game with Dolphin at Dooradoyle on Saturday last was postponed due to an unplayable pitch, Blackrock College suffered a home defeat to Shannon.

Colm Kinsella