"Bet on it being Scotland" - Ireland coach Andy Farrell reacts to 2027 Rugby World Cup draw

Ireland and Scotland locked horns in the 2019 Rugby World Cup back in Japan, with the Emerald Islanders able to get the upper hand over Scotland for a 27-3 win in the Nissan Stadium, Yokohama. Fast forward four years and Ireland once again prevailed in the clash between the Six Nations counterparts, with a solid 36-14 victory bagged in Paris' Stade de France.

Andy Farrell quipped that he could have 'bet on it being Scotland', as the Ireland head coach spoke to the media following the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw yesterday. Ireland find themselves in Pool D for the competition, alongside Portugal and Uruguay for the tournament in the land down under. Addressing yet another encounter with the Scots, Farrell said;

"Well, you could have put the bet on it being Scotland, couldn't you with the way that it's gone over the last couple of tournaments. So, that's good it's a great fixture. Obviously, we know each other well, and we'll continue to do that over the coming years."

"It's amazing the rivalry that we've had over the years. Who would have thought, in the last couple of World Cups that we've met each other, because we obviously meet each other in a pretty important competition, the Six Nations every single year. I suppose the easy thing to say for us, is what we say every single time that we play Scotland. The respect that we have for them as an unbelievably dangerous, quality, world class side has always been the case.

"Now, having worked with a lot of the players in the summer [on the British & Irish Lions tour], you get to see why you feel like that. Knowing a few more guys, there's insight there, I suppose both ways, but over the course of the next two years, those things change massively as well."

"But for Uruguay and Portugal, we know a little bit about Portugal." Farrell added. "We've played them once [Summer 2025 - 106-7], we trained against them, actually a few times, so we've followed their journey. Uruguay are a little bit different, I know that warrants a bit of work there as well. But all in all, I was super excited. Actually, it got the old hairs on the skin, standing up, it's exciting. So that's the way it should be, as a challenge."

The upcoming iteration of the tournament is set to be the biggest ever Rugby World Cup yet. The competition has been expanded to include 24 teams, with four more places handed out with the re-vamped pool stage.

There will now be six pools of four teams, before a Round of 16 is introduced to the tournament for the first time. Ireland have never surpassed the quarter-final stage of the Rugby World Cup, having lost all eight of those they have reached. Farrell is hopeful to see his side go further than the last eight teams in 2027, with high ambitions for the trip to Australia.

"I back myself and the rest of the coaches, and the players and all the staff, to go as far as we all would hope, we'd have the ambition to win a World Cup. Otherwise, what's the point? I'm sure that everyone else feels the same way."