Keith Earls 'proud and privileged' ahead of 100th Irish cap

It's just over three months since Keith Earls thought his season, and possibly even his career, was over.

Having endured a tortuous run of injuries in the last 18 months, the veteran winger's latest knock - a torn groin picked up in Munster's draw against the Sharks in Durban in April - appeared to be a season-ending issue.

The 35-year-old was due a lucky break on the injury front, and after the injury proved to be less serious than first feared, he was back on duty with Munster within three weeks, helping the province to a BKT United Rugby Championship title which ended their 12-year wait for silverware.

After bringing up his 98th cap on last summer's tour of New Zealand, it seemed inevitable the wing would reach his century of Test appearances, but injuries during the Autumn Nations Series and Six Nations saw him miss out on the chance to add to that haul.

His 99th cap came against Italy earlier this month, and on Saturday Earls is expected to be included in the Ireland squad to take on England at the Aviva Stadium (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player), in doing so becoming the ninth man to reach a century of Test appearances for the country.

And after struggling so badly with injury in recent seasons, he admits it's a milestone he didn't think he'd be able to hit.

"To be honest with you, I'd given up coming home on the plane," he says of that injury in April.

"I knew it was a bad one and I got the scan and we got the results, and I was like, 'That's it, I’m not going to be able to get enough games under my belt for Andy to pick me to get into the squad'.

"I was just like, 'I’m going to fizzle out here'.

"Especially with the talent coming through and the way some of the lads are playing and my injury history last year."

While Earls was