Keith Earls has today confirmed his retirement from rugby with immediate effect, bringing the curtain down on a stellar and inspirational career with Munster and Ireland.
The 36-year-old calls time on his 16-year professional career following Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, during which Earls won his 101st Test cap in green.
The Limerick native finishes with 36 Test tries to his name, leaving him second only behind Brian O’Driscoll in Ireland’s all-time try-scoring chart.
Earls scored 64 tries in 202 appearances for Munster and is our second-highest try-scorer of all-time. He is the only player to have won a clean sweep of Munster Academy Player of the Year (2007), Young Player of the Year (2009) and senior Men’s Player of the Year (2018) awards.
His final act in a Munster jersey saw Earls lift the URC title with Peter O’Mahony after the Grand Final win over Stormers in May. It was his third league title victory with Munster and he was also among the replacements for the 2008 European Cup final victory against Toulouse.
In an unforgettable Irish Rugby moment, Earls won his 100th cap against England at Aviva Stadium in August, leading the team out alongside his three daughters Ella-May, Laurie and Emie, before marking the occasion with a memorable try.
He made his Ireland debut 15 years previous, against Canada in 2008 at Thomond Park, where he scored just two minutes into his international career.
Earls would go on to become a legend of Irish Rugby, starting all of Ireland’s matches during the 2018 Grand Slam-winning campaign and he most recently featured at his fourth Rugby World Cup having been involved in the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions.
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