“15 men trying to kill another 15 men” Keith Earls speaks ahead of England clash

Ireland welcome England to the Aviva Stadium this Saturday in the opening game of the 2019 Six Nations. In a World Cup year, this game will take on an extra dimension as teams will be looking to lay down a marker ahead of the tournament in Japan.

For Keith Earls, he is not looking past England and says all eyes are firmly fixed on the next game as Ireland look to defeat Eddie Jones for the third consecutive time. After a poor showing in last years competition where they lost three games on the bounce, many criticised Jones and England, writing them off ahead of 2019.

However after a pretty decent showing in November, Earls is wary of their threat.

“They didn’t have much to improve on. They’ve had a couple of, I suppose, rocky results in the last couple of years. I don’t know will people think all of a sudden that they’ve gone downhill a small bit. They’re still a top-quality side.

“Narrowly losing to New Zealand in November and a couple of good result in November. We know what to expect from them. It’s always a massively physical game and we’re definitely not looking at their form.

“Over the past, we know what they’re well capable of. We’ve seen it in November and it’s going to be a massive game.”

Games against England always bring an added bite and Saturday should be no different.

Ireland Rugby Press Conference, Carton House. Co. Kildare 28/1/2019 Keith Earls Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Intensity is ramped up a notch for games between these sides and the return of the Vunipola brothers could be key for the visitors with the Saracens pair both Lions calibre players.

Earls is expecting a ferocious battle and says each game in the six nations is brutal.

“As a whole, I know they’re talking about physicality and it’s nothing new when you face England or you face a Six Nations game – it’s going to be physical no matter who you play and that’s what we’re expecting again on Saturday.”

Every game we play in is brutal and physical because it’s 15 men trying to kill another 15 men within the rules of the game, you know?

Yeah, I wouldn’t get too bogged down in it. I’d obviously expect a game like that to be brutal, brutally physical.

As I said, they are expected to be brutally physical against Scotland, Italians and the Welsh as well. So, it’s nothing new, it’s just the two coaches…on the field, we always know it’s going to be brutal. “

Earls, who turns 32 later this year is arguably in the form of his life over the past couple of seasons.

NatWest 6 Nations Championship Round 5, Twickenham London 17/3/2018 England vs Ireland Ireland’s Keith Earls Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

After a series of injury struggles he has finally got a run injury free and is one of the first names on Joe Schmidt’s team-sheet. The Limerick man currently has 27 international tries which puts him fourth on the All-Time Irish list.

He is two behind Denis Hickie in third and three behind Tommy Bowe in second who had 30 tries in his 69 appearances. Second place is well within reach for Earls which would be recognition of a brilliant career thus far.

On the other wing he has helped Jacob Stockdale explode onto the International scene with the Ulster winger breaking the Irish Six Nations record for most tries in one campaign in his first tournament with seven scores.

Stockdale has 12 tries in his 14 International appearances and Earls is more than happy to praise his teammate.

“Yeah and he is doing it with Ulster (this season). It is great to see him carry on that form. It wasn’t just a first season thing.

People talk about second season syndrome and everyone gets to know you and teams start to mark up on you but he seems to keep doing it.

It is great to see him in the form he’s in, especially as he had an injury at the start of the season (but) he’s exploded again. It’s great to see that.”

Ireland v England kicks off at 4.45 in the Aviva Stadium.

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