Jones says Japan ‘watching videos of geese’ for Australia clash
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Japan coach Eddie Jones said his team’s support play “wasn’t as sharp as we would have liked” against Australia in last week’s first Test.
PHOTO: AFP
TOWNSVILLE, Australia – Japan coach Eddie Jones said on Aug 13 that his team had been “watching videos of geese” as they prepare to face Australia, after losing narrowly to the Wallabies in last week’s first Test.
Japan went down 35-32 in Osaka, and Jones has made five changes to the starting line-up for the second Test in Townsville on Aug 15, including bringing in university student Yoshitaka Yazaki on the wing and handing Shunsuke Uenobo his first start at centre.
Jones said his team’s support play “wasn’t as sharp as we would have liked” in the first game, and he has turned to nature in a bid to improve.
“The reason we watch videos of geese is that the head of the flock is like the ball-carrier,” the colourful Australian said. “The ball carrier is king, and then everyone else has got to follow after that.
“The geese fly hundreds, thousands of miles in formation and they follow the one goose in front, and it’s the responsibility of the support players to respond to what the ball-carrier does.”
The versatile Uenobo wins his third cap while Haruto Kida makes his fourth appearance on the left wing.
Tiennan Costley comes in to play in the back row and Harry Hockings returns at lock.
Waseda University’s Yazaki was named on the right wing, although Jones said the 22-year-old would play “as a second full-back”.
Jones said they were very disappointed to lose to Australia, adding that “the most important thing now is how we take on this game”.
The former Wallabies and England coach stuck with university student fly-half Ryunosuke Ito, who won rave reviews against Australia in what was only his fourth international appearance.
Jones said that Ito, who made his debut against Italy in July in the Nations Championship, was “developing nicely”.
“His ability to adapt to games is improving, to play to the strengths of his game is improving,” said the coach.
“But like any young 10, each game is a different game.”
Australia coach Les Kiss is banking on playmaker Carter Gordon to “open up” Japan after he was named among eight changes for their return clash, including an almost completely new forward pack.
With the hot and humid conditions in Osaka having taken their toll, Kiss has opted to rest some of his key players for the Townsville clash and give an opportunity to others in the wider squad as he continues to experiment.
Gordon returns from a calf injury at fly-half in place of Declan Meredith, partnering Ryan Lonergan at scrum-half. AFP
