Given Ireland’s challenging history at the Rugby World Cup 2027, Andy Farrell was well aware not to get caught up in the permutations of Ireland’s draw when he spoke to the media on Wednesday. The supporters and journalists can speculate and map Ireland’s path publicly, but if Farrell is thinking ahead about who stands between his side and World Cup glory, he will do so privately.
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The Ireland coach wouldn’t comment on the ifs, buts, and maybes of potentially avoiding South Africa and New Zealand on their side of the draw, but one absolute certainty about Ireland’s Rugby World Cup ambitions is clear: topping your pool is essential. Even beyond what happens later in the tournament, the reality of Pool D is that Ireland’s clash with Scotland is monumental.
Four years ago, the difference between first and second in the pool was marginal. Ireland finished first and then lost to New Zealand a week later. Had they finished second, host nation France wouldn’t have been significantly easier. In 2027, the winner of Ireland’s pool will face a team that finished third in their group in the Round of 16.
The runner-up of Ireland’s pool will meet the winner of Pool C, who, barring a huge shock, will be France. Even while trying to remain cautious about Ireland’s path, Farrell acknowledged there is a notable difference between first and second in this pool. You would have thought so, that’s for sure, and it’s obvious the importance of that, he said.
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Farrell Focused on Long-Term Rugby World Cup Ambitions
With Ireland’s ambitions extending beyond simply breaking their quarter-final curse, Farrell is not getting bogged down in how they reach that stage at the Rugby World Cup. There are ways things can unfold slightly differently, and naturally, everyone gets carried away with the strength of different sides, which is stronger and which is weaker, he added.
But ultimately, we don’t just want to progress past a quarter-final, so ultimately, you will encounter teams that are exceptionally strong in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final stages, and you must be capable of aiming for that. I suppose that’s the main takeaway from it. Obviously, I trust myself, the other coaches, the players, and the staff to go as far as we hope.
We all have the ambition to win the Rugby World Cup 2027; otherwise, what’s the point? Between now and then, Ireland has four international windows to prepare, with two Six Nations Championships and the summer and autumn Nations Championship blocks approaching in 2026. It’s not a long time, and we need to use it wisely, that’s for sure, Farrell continued.
Based on their 2025 form, there are still areas that need improvement. Eight wins from 11 matches, including a Triple Crown, is a respectable record on paper, but the story of the last year shows a team that has struggled to bring its performance together. The scrum and discipline remain key areas for growth, as shown in the recent defeat to South Africa just under two weeks ago.
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Farrell on Discipline and Leadership Development Ahead of Rugby World Cup Final
Farrell said: I agree that since the autumn, discipline is certainly an area that requires attention. South Africa contributed to that, and we’ve seen similar issues in other matches they played. It isn’t just about discipline; it’s how players handle game pressure itself. It’s something that needs consistent improvement as we aim to compete at the Rugby World Cup Final 2027.
While the current Irish squad still contains a core of players in their late 20s and early 30s, assistant coach Johnny Sexton noted that the team has seen several hundred caps leave since the Rugby World Cup in France, with Sexton, Keith Earls, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, and Cian Healy among those stepping away.
Farrell believes his current leadership group will continue to develop, leading up to Australia in two years. It’s just a fact, isn’t it? Part of life is that this is where we find ourselves, said the 50-year-old former Wigan rugby league star. That’s positive, because it forces others to fill that gap, but to do so in a way that propels the team forward.
We’re not trying to repeat what we did two years ago; we aim to improve beyond that. Experiences like this take time for players to understand, ‘Okay, I know how to handle international rugby pressures; how do I become a better leader? How do I help the team elevate the show?’ It’s part of every player’s growth. You must go through these experiences to understand what it takes to drive the team forward.
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