In the 2025 Rugby World Cup set to take place in England, Ireland has been grouped with reigning champions New Zealand, alongside Japan and Spain; this evokes memories of Ireland’s memorable 17-14 victory over the Black Ferns in Marcoussis in 2014.
Scott Bemand’s team delivered an impressive performance in Canada’s WXV1 tournament, where victories were clinched against New Zealand in their initial pool match and against the USA in the finale. However, the squad suffered a defeat from Canada who is rated the second-best team in the world.
During the maiden summer tour in August 2022, the Irish team tied the series 1-1 against Japan, the host country. In Dubai the previous year, they managed a win against Spain with a 15-13 scoreline securing the WXV3 championship.
The team’s co-captain, Sam Monaghan, who participated in the draw at the BBC studios, looked forward to an exciting tournament. He highlighted their familiarity with the opposition from past encounters and expressed confidence drawn from recent successes. He noted Japan’s growing prowess over the years and mentioned that the win against Spain was hard-fought due to their fast and aggressive players. He also eagerly anticipates a rematch with New Zealand.
Monaghan, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury, has a slim chance of joining the squad towards the end of the Six Nations Championship.
The World Cup is scheduled from 22nd August to 27th September next year, spread over six weekends and eight venues throughout England. Sunderland’s Stadium of Light will host the inaugural match, whereas the final match is scheduled at Twickenham. Detailed fixture information will be announced next Tuesday.
Additional venues for the matches include the Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium, Sandy Park, Salford Community Stadium, Franklin’s Gardens and York Community Stadium. The quarter-finals on the weekend of 13th September will be hosted at Sandy Park in Exeter and Ashton Gate Stadium. The latter, located in Bristol, will also host the semi-finals on the weekend of 19th September.
Ireland’s inaugural Rugby World Cup match took place in 1994, with a victory over Scotland Students, formed after Spain and four other countries withdrew. The first two World Cups weren’t officially recognised by the then International Rugby Board, which warned potential penalisation for participants. Initially, the 1994 event was meant to be in Amsterdam, but it was moved to Scotland at the eleventh hour. In the tournament, Ireland experienced losses to France and then the reigning champions, the USA, before conceding defeat to Scotland in the Shield semi-final. However, they managed to secure a victory over Japan, securing the third place in the subsequent playoff.
Ireland’s World Cup ranking gradually improved from tenth in 1998, to fourth in Marcoussis, France, home of the French rugby headquarters—a record placement for the team. Key victories in their journey included triumphs over the USA and New Zealand, the latter being a significant upset since it was the first Irish victory over New Zealand in rugby history. Thanks to a further win over Kazakhstan, they found themselves in the semi-finals.
England triumphed over them 40–7 in the semi-final, followed by the host country, France, pulling ahead 25-18 in the third and fourth place playoff. The 2017 tournament saw Ireland fall to an eighth-place finish when they hosted. The inability to qualify for the 2021 tournament was disappointing, compounded by the fact the event was postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic.
Nevertheless, since officially taking charge on August 21st, 2023, Englishman Bemand has steered Ireland onto a promising course, winning the WXV3 championship within his first year and securing a third-place finish in the subsequent Six Nations, giving them entry into the recent WXV1 event in Canada.
During his speech in Canada, Beman acknowledged their ambitious aim to participate in World Cups, competing alongside the finest teams globally. They depart with the recognition that there are matches they have the capacity to win, even expected to win, and they’re not intimidated by this prospect.
Furthermore, Beman pointed out they are no longer apprehensive about playing matches against top-tier countries, instead they intend to give it their best shot. If their efforts result in victory, all the better. They are determined to reach the quarter-final stages, striving to show their best performance, powered by a team who possesses a strong belief in their capabilities.
As for the 2025 Rugby World Cup groupings, Pool A comprises England, Australia, USA, and Samoa while Pool B includes Canada, Scotland, Wales, and Fiji. Pool C features New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, and Spain. Finally, Pool D consists of France, Italy, South Africa, and Brazil.