Japan rugby coach Eddie Jones tells team to keep faith after heavy defeats
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Japan coach Eddie Jones speaks with his players ahead of the clash against his former side England.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
TOKYO – Eddie Jones has urged Japan to keep faith in him, despite lacklustre results that have included several heavy defeats since he returned as head coach almost a year ago.
The Brave Blossoms have won four games and lost seven since the Australian took over in January, and they were beaten by 40 points or more by New Zealand, France and England.
Jones told reporters late on Nov 26 after returning from Japan’s tour of Europe that there was “no magic solution”, but insisted he was confident that his team would improve.
“They’re the sort of experiences this team needs,” the 64-year-old said of the tour, which ended with a 59-14 thrashing by his former team England at Twickenham on Nov 24.
“You’re all sitting there thinking we got beat by 50 points, but they’re games we need to actually learn (from). The big challenge now is how quickly we can learn.”
Jones, who first coached Japan from 2012 to 2015, has blooded a glut of new players, including a fullback who is still at university.
The Australian said his players’ inexperience had “shown up at crucial times in games”, but believes Japan can become “the best attacking team in the world”.
“There is a gap between where we are and where we need to be, and we just need to keep working. The only thing that’s going to get us there is hard work, persistence and then consistency in selection,” added Jones, usually a colourful and controversial character.
Japan have signed partnership agreements with both Australia and New Zealand, meaning that they will play regular Test matches against them over the next few years.
Playing against the All Blacks, in particular, would be good experience for Jones’ men.
The veteran coach returned to the Japan job six weeks after walking out on Australia in 2023 following a disastrous year-long stint in charge of the Wallabies.
He had initially repeatedly denied reports he was set to take the Japan post for a second time.
Now in the hot seat, there are also distractions elsewhere.
Jones has also come under renewed scrutiny in recent weeks for his time in charge of England, with former scrum-half Danny Care calling him a “tyrant” and a “despot” in his autobiography.
It was likely because of that, that Jones, as he claimed, was abused by a fan at half-time of the Nov 24 game in his first return to Twickenham since being sacked in 2022.
He took England to the 2019 World Cup final, where they lost to South Africa. AFP
