Incredible Keith Earls Interview On Anthony Foley’s Death & That Glasgow Game

Keith Earls has spoken in a candid interview revealing how the death of Anthony Foley has affected him and how he feels about getting sent-off in that now famous win over the Glasgow Warriors.

The Munster winger was controversially sent-off in Foley’s send-off game in the Champions Cup for a challenge on Fraiser Brown and has opened up for the first time on the incident, insisting he believes he was wrongfully given his marching orders.

It was a massive game, it meant a lot to us,” says Earls.

“It was a tough week in general, from burying your head coach and then an hour later doing a captain’s run. It’s just not right.

“I suppose the only thing I do apologise for – I don’t apologise for anything else – is kicking the bottles on the side of the pitch. I wouldn’t like to see a young lad doing that at underage or some young lad at Thomond Park.

“I suppose I’ve been waiting to be interviewed to apologise for that.

“I don’t apologise for the rest of it.

“I spoke to Fraser Brown on the phone and I felt he could have done a bit more. Yes, I did lift his leg but I felt he could have done a bit more to save the impact. The way he went, I thought he was going for it a small bit, to be honest with you. I spoke to him and he said he was just trying to protect himself.

“I felt I was cheated really going off the pitch; they denied me an opportunity to put in a performance for my head coach and the Munster supporters, so I kind of lost it a bit coming off the pitch.

The Limerick man also stated it’s a shame that it has taken Anthony Foley’s death to spur the team on to play the way he always wanted them to play.

“It’s a pity it’s after taking our head coach to die for us to play the way he wanted us to play. That’s the way it is.”

Earls also stated that Foley’s death has really opened his eyes as to what is truly important in life.

“I’ve taken rugby in a completely different way now because of Axel’s death.

“I get to go home to my family every day.

“Rugby to me now… obviously, it’s a massive part of my life but it’s sport at the end of the day. That has really opened my eyes.”

You can read the full interview here. It’s wonderfully honest and an excellent read, we highly recommend it.