‘It’s already started, believe me’ – Andy Farrell admits Ireland’s World Cup preparations are under way

Preparations are already being made for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia following the draw on Wednesday where Ireland were placed in Pool D along with Scotland, Portugal and Uruguay.

The cities and venues for the Irish games will not be known until Friday, February 3rd but Irish coach Andy Farrell was putting plans in place within hours of the draw.

“It’s already started, believe me,” said Farrell. “I’ve literally just come out of a two-hour meeting that we’ve just had straight after the draw.

“So, these things have to be planned way in advance, especially when you’re trying to navigate yourself to the other side of the world.

“I suppose the fixtures and where we’re going to be based and all that is a big part of that, but trying to map it out and get it all booked in place and what training camps look like and all that, that’s all well on the way.”

Farrell expects more team transition to take place before now and the start of the tournament, which begins in October 2027.

Already Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray have retired but Farrell believes the natural process will further change the Irish team.

“Like I said about everyone else, no more so than ourselves, I have no doubt about that,” he said of inevitable change.

Ireland’s Cian Healy, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray after their last home game for Ireland against France in the Six Nations back in March. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

“A good example would be before the last World Cup with an Emerging Ireland tour and everyone thought that that could have been a little bit late in the day as far as preparation is concerned.

“But I think it was seven lads from that tour, or six – I might be exaggerating – in regards to being involved, certainly in preparation and lads really putting their hands up to be involved with that World Cup squad.

“It just shows you how quickly things can change and obviously there’s a plan of what you think could happen along the way. But you move with that as you go as well.”

If Ireland top their group, they will face a third-place finisher in the Round of 16, with Argentina a potential quarter-final opponent. The winner of Ireland’s pool would remain on the opposite side of the draw to defending champions South Africa and New Zealand.

But the fact that Ireland were drawn against Scotland once again for the pool stage drew a wry smile from the Irish coach.

It is the third time in a row for a World Cup that Ireland and Scotland have been in the same pool, while Ireland have beaten Scotland in the last 11 meetings.

“Well, you could have put a bet on it being Scotland couldn’t you, with the way that it’s gone over the last couple of tournaments,” said Farrell.

“But that’s good. It’s a great fixture obviously. They know each other well and will continue to do that over the coming years.

Tommy O’Brien in action for Ireland against Portugal at Estádio Nacional do Jamor in Lisbon back in July. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

“For Uruguay and Portugal, we know a little bit about Portugal, we’ve played them once [Ireland beat Portugal in Lisbon during the summer 106-7], trained against them actually a few times so we’ve followed their journey.”

“Uruguay, a little bit different, and I know that Warren’s [Gatland] done a bit of work there as well so. But all in all, I was super excited actually, got the old hairs on the skin standing you know, so that’s the way it should be.”

Farrell continued to set Irish sights high and said that winning the tournament would continue to be the Irish ambition despite never having gone beyond the quarter-final stage.

“Obviously I back myself and the rest of the coaches and the players and all the staff to go as far as we’d all hope,” said Farrell. “We’d have the ambition to win a World Cup, otherwise what’s the point. [We will] ensure that everyone else feels the same way.”

And the draw taking place two years out from the first match taking place? Farrell was not total enamoured with the idea, but at least it was better than three years out.

“Well, you guys have all been involved in a number of these now, and you just know that three years was definitely too far away, in my opinion,” he said. “Two years does seem a little bit strange, but I do get it all for everything that can be organised or should be organised.

“As far as the playing side is concerned, obviously that’s what we deal with, the high-performance side of it. You just know through experience that so much can happen within those two years, with eligibility and all that comes into play.

“You might think that you know a certain side, but by the time you meet them in the World Cup, they [have] become a completely different entity. That’s always happened, and I suppose they’ll be no different this time around.”