Townsend to remain Scotland boss to 2027 World Cup

Gregor Townsend, the head coach of Scotland, has extended his contract, ensuring that he will continue to be in charge of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

There had recently been rumors that the 52-year-old might be interested in becoming a potential rugby director because his current contract is set to expire in April of next year.

However, Scottish Rugby will make his stay announcement on Wednesday morning.

And he is the longest-serving tier one coach in the world out of those still in place. He has won 94 Tests, including the epic 38-38 victory at Twickenham in 2019, losing 40, and drawing one.

Townsend’s 100th Test as Scotland coach will take place in Edinburgh in February’s second round of the Six Nations, facing England in the autumn series against the United States, New Zealand, Argentina, and Tonga.

In his first years in charge, he won four Calcutta Cups in a row for the first time since 1970, four wins in five Tests against Australia, and a first victory in Paris in 22 years.

Since Townsend took over, Scotland’s ability to play scintillating rugby has reappeared in the form of a significant increase in the number of Scots selected for British and Irish Lions tours.

Three, three, two, three, three, and two were Scotland’s initial squad numbers on the five pre-Townsend tours.

Eight Scots were the original picks on each of Townsend’s two Lions tours, with the most notable one being Andy Farrell’s in Australia this summer, during the tour.

Townsend’s watch has improved for Scotland, but there isn’t anything tangible to support it. Despite this, there is definite support for an overhaul.

His critics have grown as he goes through his eight years, which are now set to become his ten.

Fans of Scotland who have long desired change would have been optimistic that Franco Smith would succeed in becoming the team’s national coach. That group of supporters feels like the team has stagnated under Townsend in recent years.

With just two third-place finishes under Townsend in eight attempts and an average fourth-place finish, Scotland have never properly challenged for a Six Nations title despite the fine one-off victories.

There hasn’t been the depth of the squad or consistency to contend, despite the team’s remarkable number of sell-outs in its best days, which has led to the team’s enormously entertaining growth in its best days.

Townsend placed them fifth overall, a record, but they moved up after losing to Fiji in Suva over the summer to finish eighth.

Additionally, he has lost in two World Cups in a row, losing in Japan in 2019 and France in 2023.

Unquestionably, Townsend wants to stay on because it makes up for such disappointment. He will experience unfinished business because he has never been to the wire in the Six Nations and has never been a member of the Six Nations.

The six groups of four teams will participate in the World Cup draw in December, with the top six teams moving up each group.

Townsend is hopeful that he will do so for the first time as he attempts to leave a group.

When South Africa (the holders) and Ireland (the time the world number one) squared off in France in 2023, only the top two countries managed to qualify.

Scotland could not be landed with a similar pool of death in Australia, despite having the eight-man world ranking in the new 24-nation format.

With the two top nations, as well as the four top third-place teams in all categories, they would be placed second, making it to the last 16 knockouts.

That makes it more welcoming and appealing for Townsend than it does for Scotland.

Now that his future is secure, the autumnal planning begins, with the All Blacks playing the match on November 8.

Townsend has had two failed attempts at them as a coach, including an eight-point defeat in 2022 and five-point losses in 2017.

Scotland have drawn two Test matches against the All Blacks, and lost 30 of those 32.