Eddie Jones to be reappointed as Japan national rugby coach: Reports
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Former Australia's head coach Eddie Jones looks set to be reappointed by Japan on Dec 13.
PHOTO: AFP
TOKYO – Eddie Jones is set to be reappointed as the coach of Japan’s national rugby team pending approval from the union’s board, local media reported on Dec 10, less than two months after he walked out on the Wallabies.
The 63-year-old Australian has been strongly linked with a return to the Japanese team he led to a historic win over South Africa at the 2015 World Cup in England.
Local media reported that Jones was successfully interviewed by the Japan Rugby Football Union on Dec 7 in Tokyo.
His reappointment is set to become official pending approval from the union’s board, sports newspapers, including Sponichi, reported.
The Japanese daily said: “If approved by the board of directors on the 13th, he will be officially appointed for the first time in eight years.”
The role Jones played in steering Japan to the stunning 2015 victory over South Africa made him the perennial favourite on the JRFU list of candidates. Jones’ wife is Japanese and lives in the country. His mother is Japanese-American.
The Australian was also considered for the Georgia national coach job, which will now be offered to Englishman Richard Cockerill.
Other names previously floated as Japan’s potential next coach included South African Frans Ludeke, who coached Kubota Spears to last season’s Japanese club title.
Jones’ success with Japan from 2012 to 2015 helped land him the job as coach of England, whom he took to the 2019 World Cup final and eventual defeat by South Africa.
Jones was fired by England in December 2022
He was hired by Australia in January
Australian media reported that Jones had held an online interview with the JRFU while coaching the Wallabies at the Sept 8-Oct 28 World Cup, something which he has strenuously denied.
Former Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan, who was fired in the wake of the furore surrounding Jones’ departure, this week told Australian radio station 2GB: “If it is true that he did that... that’s terrible and appalling... especially when you’re leading into a World Cup.”
After he officially quit his Wallabies post, Jones said he had resigned because Rugby Australia could not commit “financial and political” resources to change Australian rugby. AFP, REUTERS
