Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Earls' candid claim: 'I can feel the snobbery and the falseness'

(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Seasoned Ireland international Keith Earls has spoken about the awkwardness he has felt when attending post-game dinners hosted by the IRFU in their lavish Shelbourne Hotel haunt in Dublin. Hailing from Moyross in Limerick, the 34-year-old with 93 Test caps has recently published his autobiography – Fight Or Flight, My Life, My Choices.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the book, Earls revealed how he was diagnosed as bipolar in 2013, how he told Munster coach Johann van Graan he was retiring with immediate effect in September 2020, and how from about 2017 until the end of 2020 that his lung capacity was only functioning at about 50 per cent due to his liver being affected by loosened ligaments which caused a breathing dysfunction.

Earls also touched at length on his upbringing in Limerick in an area of the city that suffered from having a bad reputation down through the years. The winger outlined how this discrimination hurt him when he was growing up, how from his childhood onwards he was picking up signals all the time that he was different from so-called normal society. 

Video Spacer

Dan Biggar on why the Autumn Nations Series is the most brutal

Dan Biggar | All Access | Why the Autumn Series is the most brutal in rugby
We were lucky enough to speak with Dan Biggar on All Access with Jim Hamilton in association with Amazon Prime this week. Wales is set to embark on a tough Autumn Nations Series against South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 29:37
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 29:37
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Dan Biggar on why the Autumn Nations Series is the most brutal

    This feeling that Earls was different continued into his rugby career and he wrote in his autobiography about the discomfort this has caused, particularly when the IRFU hosts its post-Ireland match dinners in Dublin. 

    “I’m not part of that social network,” wrote Earls. “I couldn’t have been born further from it. On the Saturday night of a home international, I’m in the Shelbourne Hotel with the squad, the IRFU officers, the alickadoos and the corporate guests and the society types. There’s the dinner and the speeches and the small talk and the back-slapping. But I don’t want to be there. 

    “I want to be back in Kinsella’s in Thomondgate with my friends and family. That’s where I belong. I don’t belong in the Shelbourne. I’m way out of my comfort zone. I can feel the snobbery and the falseness. People only want to talk to you because you’re a player. They wouldn’t give you the time of day otherwise. Edel had situations where people were unbelievably condescending until they discovered she was Keith Earls’ partner. Then they’d change their tune. 

    “Don’t get me wrong. Not everyone in that environment is like that. You will meet some very genuine, warm people there. But to go from Moyross to social occasions like that is a massive journey to make for me. For years I found it intimidating.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “I had two huge learning curves. One was how to be an international player on the pitch, the other was how to be an international player off it. Being honest, I found the first easier than the second. I remember having to learn the whole etiquette of the dinner, the big banquet back in the fancy hotel.

    “The first few times the waiter put the starter in front of me, I’d start eating it before the rest of the table was served. I didn’t know you should wait until everyone was served. I had to learn which glass was for water and which one was for wine. What were all the knives and forks for”

    “One night the lads were asking for horseradish to go with their beef. So the next night, I can remember I was sitting next to John Hayes, I was having beef and I was asking the waiter if he could get me some horse hummus please. Some what? Horse hummus please. Well, the whole fuckn table erupted with the laughing. I got a desperate slagging. It’s funny now but at the time I was mortified.”

    Having had what he describes as his first proper pre-season in about five years, Earls is currently with the Ireland squad in Dublin preparing for their three-game Autumn Nations Series which opens this Saturday versus Japan at Aviva Stadium. 

    ADVERTISEMENT

     

      

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Boks Office | Episode 35 | Six Nations Round 2 Review

    O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 3 | France Week

    Second round of the Men's Six Nations | Whistle Watch

    Harlequins vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Saitama Wildknights | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

    The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

    Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    J
    JW 2 hours ago
    Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

    Players like Prendergast and Finn Smith already have a few seasons at top club level under their belt and are now test players, at an age when NZ players make their debuts in SR.

    That’s just a difference in standards. You’re confusing SR for being their local domestic comps, where it’s more accurately comparable to Champions Cup, apart from that teams are happy to throw games as it’s in a bit of a limbo in terms of importance atm.


    All these kids have been playing for a comparable NPC team for years now. Sam is no where near ready for tests but he has a great temperament, much like Sextons, that makes it a good choice to speed up his development. He wasn’t even a comparable Super Rugby starter before playing for Ireland, so not a great comparison.


    Fin would be much better example, but then England don’t have 3 world class Test tens in front of him (not that I’d put Beauden their but obviously in terms of young NZ players chances, he is). Would he otherwise have debuted at the same age as Fergus Burke (injury and leaving withstanding), around 24, a couple of years later? England also aren’t as pedantic to who they give jerseys to, in NZ a test jersey is very hard earned for the most part.


    In general I think the effects are as you say, but the only difference is the money involved, as you yourself said, their paths are just as all over the show being loaned out playing for clubs etc. My solution to that, and what you perceive as the problem, would be to introduce university football that utilitizes the large investment they have into high performance sport.

    90 Go to comments
    J
    Jennifer Ross 5 hours ago
    One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

    The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton's approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance.

    Regards.

    28 Go to comments
    J
    Jennifer Ross 5 hours ago
    One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

    The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton’s approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance,

     Email : wizardhiltoncybertech ( @ ) gmail (. ) com  OR  support ( @ ) wizardhiltoncybertech (.) com

    WhatsApp number +13024457895

    28 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ Where is the new breed of All Black 10? Where is the new breed of All Black 10?
    Search