My fault.

Ireland winger Keith Earls will be hurting more than most after Saturday’s Six Nations loss to England at the Aviva Stadium – both physically and mentally.

The 31-year-old appeared to be targeted early on by England with their kicking game, resulting in some very questionable hits that left the Munster man in a bad way, and forced to come off at half-time with a hip injury.

But Earls doesn’t hold any grudges, despite being taken out by both Tom Curry and Maro Itoje. Curry was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Earls, while Itoje escaped with just a penalty for a very late hit on the winger. Earls says it was just a “big collision”, but admits he does look bad when you look back at it.

“No, no, it was a collision,” Earls says

“I don’t know what he thought of it, whether he got his timing wrong or whatever. I had a look back at it and it does look bad but that’s not for me to say.”

“It was just a big collision, he is a big man and I think if it had been anyone smaller I would have been alright.”

In terms of England’s early try in the corner. Earls has put his hand up, taking full responsibility for it.

“It was obviously 100% my fault. I got my numbers wrong on the edge. I didn’t see [Elliot] Daly out there, I thought it was [Jonny] May.” Earls added

“I was going to go for the intercept but obviously Farrell’s pass is one of the best in the game and it beat me.

“I should definitely have just tucked if I had taken a look up. I should have tucked in with Conor [Murray].”

A top, top player. And an even better person. Here’s hoping he’ll be fit to play this weekend so he can make amends.

[The42.ie]