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‘It will change a lot of people’s lives’ – Johann van Graan hails Keith Earls for speaking up about his mental health

Keith Earls recently opened up about his mental health struggles. Image credit: Sportsfile. Expand

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Keith Earls recently opened up about his mental health struggles. Image credit: Sportsfile.

Keith Earls recently opened up about his mental health struggles. Image credit: Sportsfile.

Keith Earls recently opened up about his mental health struggles. Image credit: Sportsfile.

Cian Tracey Twitter Email

Munster head coach Johann van Graan has hailed the 'bravery' shown by Keith Earls after he spoke openly and honestly about his mental health struggles.

Earls appeared on the Late Late Show last week and revealed that he had been diagnosed with bipolar, while he also told the Sunday Independent about the true extent of pain he has put his body through whilst playing rugby over the years.

The 34-year-old Moyross native has been heralded as a role model for young people and other professional players suffering in silence.

"Keith Earls is a fantastic man, a Munster man through and through,” Van Graan said.

“I remember when I came to Munster initially, he was one of the first guys I talked to about Munster Rugby and what it means to play for Munster and come from Limerick.

"Obviously, the things he shared were of a very private nature and the way he said it on Friday evening made such a big difference, not only to ourselves but I'm sure to a lot of people on the outside. For somebody to be that vulnerable and that honest, I believe it will change a lot of people's lives because of that.

"The main thing is Earlsy is just himself when he's in the HPC (High Performance Centre).

“He's such a big part of Munster Rugby and what we've been doing in the past. I'm very glad that he's part of our group and very proud of him as a rugby player, as a man, as a friend, as a husband, and as a father.

"That's bravery, that's honesty, and we put that in the highest regard at Munster rugby."

Earls' fellow Limerick man Conor Murray is back in the mix for Munster's game against the Ospreys in Swansea on Saturday, while so too is Damian de Allende, who has returned to training following his long stint with the Springboks.

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"Conor has been training with the group, the same as Damian, and we will make our decisions later in the week on whether we will select them. But Conor is looking really well and refreshed and training well,” van Graan added.

"It's great to have Damian back. (I) picked him up at the airport on Sunday afternoon. He's had a good two-week break and it's great to have him back in Limerick at the HPC.

"He's a phenomenal player for us and we're really looking forward to seeing him train.

"I spoke to him, he drove from Dublin to Shannon, and I went to Shannon to get him there, so it's great to have him back."

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