"What are they drinking down there in Limerick and Cork?!"
There were concerns, only a few weeks back, that Keith Earls could have played his last game for Munster when he suffered a groin injury in South Africa. Jump ahead to the URC semi-final win over Leinster and there was Keith Earls, out in Munster red, playing his heart out and grabbing the attention of Bryan Habana.
Earls admitted he 'genuinely shed a tear' after Munster's last-gasp semi victory over Leinster. He may yet play on with Munster next season, but admits there is no clear, set path on his rugby future. All he knows is there is one more chance to saddle up in Cape Town, next weekend, before the season is done.
On the latest House of Rugby [LISTEN from 8:00 below], Bryan Habana, Ronan O'Gara and Brian O'Driscoll all reflected on that epic Munster vs. Leinster contest, Jack Crowley's rapid rise and Keith Earls possibly making his fourth World Cup squad.
Bryan Habana on Keith Earls
The panel were discussing whether Jack Crowley simply had to be part of Ireland's World Cup plans when Bryan Habana noted that his case could be helped if Andy Farrell covered a few positions with a utility back like Keith Earls.
"Do you take three 10s or do you then look at other utility players?" Habana mused.
"I look at someone like Keith Earls, that's come back from injury and I'm like, how the heck is he doing that at age 35?
"I was thinking, holy, what water is the drinking here, down in Limerick and Cork?!
"I think it's a specialist 10 decision that Andy Farrell has got to look at, and you look at moments like, thinking back to 2003 and his drop goal off his right. Joel Stransky in 1995, Dan Carter in 2015. So, 10 is just such a key position. And you need guys with that calmness."
Asked if that need for a specialist 10, and the emergence of Crowley, puts Ross Byrne under a lot of pressure, Habana argued that the Leinster outhalf has coped incredibly well with the expectation foisted upon him over the past six months.
"And I saw Johnny two weeks ago," Habana helped added. "He's pretty calm that he'll be back in plenty of time [for the World Cup]."
House of Rugby highlights
Springbok legend and two-time European Cup winner Bryan Habana joined Greg O'Shea and Lindsay Peat in the House of Rugby studio for a Champions Cup bumper episode.
They discussed URC semi wins for Munster & Stormers, and looked ahead to Leinster vs. La Rochelle.
(1:00) - Olympic qualification and Sevens scenes
(8:20) - Munster's big win, and Crowley's drop goal
(17:00) - Keith Earls' recovery and Stormers video celebrations
(35:15) - Bryan Habana's career highlights
(49:25) - Interview with Brian O'Driscoll
(57:45) - Interview with Ronan O'Gara
(59:50) - Interview with Jamison Gibson-Park
(1:05:00) - Champions Cup preview
(1:24:35) - Bryan returns, and some Ice, Ice Baby
