Emotional

Munster and Ireland winger Keith Earls sat down for an emotional interview with ITV’s Gabriel Clarke ahead of Saturday’s game with Tonga – and it has everyone talking.

Earls has opened in the past about his battles when it comes to dealing with his bi-polar diagnosis and problems that have affected him and his family, both on and off the pitch.

The winger has revealed that he doesn’t think he’d still be here playing had he not been diagnosed with his condition and added that he reached rock bottom at the 2015 Rugby World Cup

The interview opens up with a big question for Earls – “Do you consider yourself an Irish rugby great?” to which he replies with a stern, flat no.

“I’ve only really enjoyed my career from my 50th cap on.” Earls said.

Earls goes on to call himself a bit of a “bolter” having burst onto the scene straight out of school and goes into detail about that faithful Rugby World Cup in England.

The Limerick native says that he reached rock bottom at that 2015 World Cup, during Ireland’s crucial 24-9 victory over France.

“When teams start figuring you out, the pressure boils on. I struggled to deal with that and went down a big rabbit hole of negative feelings,” Earls added.

“I didn’t want to play anymore – semi-finals, finals, even World Cups.

“The World Cup in 2015 [against France]… the pressure, how big it was. One of the worst days of my rugby career.

The negative thinking…then I went out to the field and even dropped a silly ball that could have been in for a try.

“I just derailed myself and didn’t have control of my mind. So I was an emotional wreck by how much anxiety I had that day. I swore to myself that I’d never want to feel like this again.”

Earls recently played his 100th game for Ireland, joining a very exclusive list. He goes on to reveal his plans after the World Cup and more in the full interview that we’ve put below for you to watch in full.

It’s certainly worth a watch.