Earle has joined the Scarlets from the Cheetahs © Getty Images

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South African lock George Earle has revealed his desire to play for Wales in the future following his move to the Scarlets.

Earle agreed a three-year deal with the Welsh region and by the end of that contract he will be eligible for Wales on residency grounds. The former Lions and Cheetahs lock is a big fan of the brand of rugby played by the Welsh under Warren Gatland and would relish the opportunity to

"If the opportunity arises to play for Wales, that would be the biggest honour and I would cherish that moment for the rest of my life," he told Walesonline. "When I left home, I told my dad that's something I wanted to work hard for. He said 'Go for it man'.

"Being selected for Wales would be a big bonus and something I would really look forward to. I will only be 28 when I qualify and hopefully I would be much more mature by then.

Earle added: "I supported Wales in the World Cup. I think they were very unlucky. They should have beaten South Africa and they came so close in the semi-final against France. "I just really like the brand of rugby they play. They are expansive, they are physical, they just have a good all-round game. They should have beaten Australia 3-0 out there last month. That comes down to marginal errors.

"I think they have one of the up-and-coming back lines in world rugby. They have superb players and not just the back line. The forwards I admire too, people like Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones and Bradley Davies. They are very good players.

"I will be looking forward to locking horns with them this season and seeing what they can offer. I think Welsh rugby is on a big rise. That's why I can't understand why lots of people leave to go and play in France when it's on such a big high."