'More important now': Unlucky RWC draw ramps up Townsend's desperation

Gregor Townsend has challenged Scotland to banish their Ireland hoodoo before their showdown at the 2027 World Cup.

Wednesday’s draw in Australia pitted the two sides together in the pool stages of the global showpiece for the third time in succession.

Scotland have lost their last 11 meetings with the Irish, with their last win coming in the 2017 Six Nations, a few months before Townsend took charge.

The winners of Pool D – which also includes the minnows of Uruguay and Portugal – are likely to avoid a formidable round-of-16 clash with France, so the Scotland head coach is aware of the importance of ensuring his team get to a level whereby they feel equipped to get the better of Ireland when they meet Down Under.

“It’s an easier road to the quarter-finals and semi-finals if you can win your pool,” said Townsend, reflecting on the draw at a press conference in Edinburgh.

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Italy

18 - 15

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“We’ll respect all three teams that we’ll have to face, but obviously Ireland are a team that has beaten us pretty regularly the last few years, so we’ll have to be better to beat them.

“We have two occasions, one in Dublin, one at Murrayfield before the World Cup. The goal every year is to try and beat Ireland – and the other teams in the Six Nations – but it’s even more important now.

“It would help massively if we got on the right side of the results for a change. We know how tough it’ll be.

“Dublin in the last game of the (Six Nations) Championship will be a very difficult game, but we played really well last time we were out there (in 2024) and we’ll be doing all we can to win that game.

“It’ll be more difficult in the World Cup if we haven’t managed to beat Ireland in the next two seasons.”

Townsend recently signed a contract extension taking him up to the end of the World Cup. The 52-year-old won the last of his 82 caps as a player at the 2003 World Cup in Australia.

“That was my last games for Scotland and it was a fantastic tournament,” said Townsend. “I remember we played a game on a Monday evening against USA in Brisbane and it was a sell-out crowd.

“All the games were well supported, they can run a tournament whether it’s Olympics, a Lions Tour or a Rugby World Cup.

“They’re a sports-mad country, the stadiums will be fantastic, they’ve got Olympics (Brisbane, 2032) coming, the weather will be good. It’s great for players but really good for supporters too.”