Friends reunited – Scotland And Ireland Meet Again

You again! Scotland rugby fans well be forgiven for feeling a sense of the familiar after they and Ireland were drawn in the same Rugby World Cup pool at Australia 2027, the third consecutive time that they will face each other in a Rugby World Cup pool.

In 2019 Scotland were paired Ireland and host nation Japan, both of whom they duly lost to. Two years ago, at France 2023 they were placed with South Africa and Ireland, and after the defending champions worked them over in their opening match, Ireland’s 36-14 win at the Stade de France ended their quarterfinal hopes.

With the number of teams now up to 24 and the sides split into six pools of four, Uruguay and Portugal join the Celtic pair in Pool D. That means the good news is for once Scotland won’t be in a pool of death and have an above average chance of progressing from the pool for the first time since 2015.

Uruguay and Portugal are eminently beatable. Only last year Scotland defeated them both; Uruguay 31-19 in Montevideo, and Portugal 59-21 in the November internationals. Repeat those and Gregor Townsend’s team will finish in at least second place, depending on what they do against Ireland.

“We realised what a quality side Uruguay were when we took them on last year,” Townsend said. “That was a tight game; we had a strong team out as well. They’ve had some good results over the past month, beating Portugal, and they’re a growing team.

“With Portugal, we saw how well they played in the last World Cup, beating Fiji. I think both teams want to play rugby, so they’ll be open games, which are good for supporters.”

Ah yes, Ireland. In 2019 Scotland’s sluggish start to the tournament meant Ireland enjoyed a 27-3 victory in the pair’s opening clash, a result that set Scotland back on their haunches from the start. Victories over Samoa and Russia followed, but by the time of the final round Japan had defeated Ireland, meaning they needed to beat the hosts to have any chance of staying in the tournament. They came close, and while they rallied after halftime, the exited after a 28-21 loss.

They’ve not fared much better in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, where they need to go back to the 27-22 win in 2017 at Murrayfield for their most recent victory in the tournament. Since then, there’s been close encounters or variable hidings, but no win.

“It would help massively if we got on the right side of the result for a change,” Townsend said. “Going to Dublin for the last game of next year’s championship will be tough, but we played really well last time we were out there. But it’ll be a more difficult World Cup if we haven’t managed to beat Ireland in the next two seasons.”

After a disappointing autumn when defeats at home to New Zealand and Argentina were presented as evidence of Scotland’s flaky mentality, the last thing they may have wanted was to be drawn against a team that also has their card marked.

However, the new style draw where the best four third place teams join the six pool winners and runners-up in the round of 16 may have done Scotland a favour. The new system means that there is a very good chance that Townsend’s team will face France, a team they have shown they can beat. Maybe it’s a case that the draw takes with one hand yet gives with the other. We’ll see.

“They’ve been a hurdle we’ve struggled to get over and it’s something we’re going to have to get over in the Six Nations,” captain Sione Tuipulotu said. “Some of our players took a lot from the experience of the Lions, with a lot of their (Ireland) coaches and players there. I consider some of the Irish boys my friends now, and there’s no one you want to beat more than your friends.”