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Ex-Fijian Drua head coach to join Japan's coaching team

Former Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson is set to join Japan’s coaching team, RugbyJP.com can exclusively reveal. Fielding, New Zealand-born Jackson, 50, left the Super Rugby side by mutual consent in April just weeks after stepping away from his role as an assistant to the Fijian national team under Mick Byrne. © Fijian Drua The former Saracens and Chiefs fly-half, who had a spell as a Test referee post-retirement, attended Japan’s impressive Nations Championship victory

Mark Pickering

6 days ago2 min read

University fly-half Ito, 21, makes Japan bow v Italy

Japan has named Meiji University fly-half Ryunosuke Ito to make his Brave Blossoms debut against Italy in the opening round of the inaugural Nations Championship on Saturday. Ito, 21, shone against the Māori All Blacks last week despite the hosts suffering a second half collapse and being edged out 38-31 as Eddie Jones served the penultimate game of his suspension. The highly-rated youngster, whose older brother Kotaro, 24, plays at fly-half for Black Rams Tokyo, will play th

Mark Pickering

Jul 23 min read

Opeti Helu: My Dream Is Still to Play for Japan at the World Cup

Lyon-bound prop Opeti Helu said his dream is still to play for Japan at the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year after his switch from Kubota Spears to the Top 14 side was announced on Monday afternoon. Tonga-born former number eight Helu, 27, won his two caps for the Brave Blossoms in 2024, and revealed that he discussed his opportunity to play in France’s top tier with Japan head coach Eddie Jones before inking a one-year deal with Karim Ghezal’s team. “Eddie called me an

Mark Pickering

Jun 153 min read

Jones: We want to be the team everyone wants to watch

Japan head coach Eddie Jones faced the media for the first time since being handed a six-week suspension by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) as he discussed his 35-man squad selection on Wednesday afternoon. The former Wallabies head coach's suspension was lifted on 5 June but he still will miss the Brave Blossoms' opening Nations Championship game against Italy (4 July) following comments he made to an official during Japan u23’s trip to his homeland in April. Jones ope

Mark Pickering

Jun 104 min read

Exclusive - Injured Yoshitaka Yazaki leaves Australia

Japan full-back Yoshitaka Yazaki has cut short his overseas excursion in Australia due to sustaining a minor knee injury, RugbyJP can exclusively reveal. Yazaki, who turned 22 in May, made his Brave Blossoms debut against England in 2024 and has won nine caps for his country despite still being a student at Waseda University. The Niigata-born starlet went out to Australia in April and has trained with Super Rugby side the ACT Brumbies on a daily basis. © Vikings Yazaki starte

Mark Pickering

Jun 22 min read

Japan names Neal Hatley as Deputy Head Coach

Japan Rugby Football Union has named forwards coach Neal Hatley as their Deputy Head Coach on a temporary basis after suspending Eddie Jones for six weeks. The JRFU announced a 33-man Japan XV squad today for games against a Hong Kong China representative side in Oita this month and the Māori All Blacks in Nagoya on 27 June Former Bath forwards coach Hatley, who joined the Brave Blossoms coaching ticket in 2024, leads the Japan XV development team and was listed as Deputy Hea

Mark Pickering

May 162 min read

Eddie Jones: World Rugby is incapable of making decisions about the game

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has criticised World Rugby after the sport’s governing body issued a statement declaring the game is in a strong position following a 200-person Shape of the Game conference in London. The annual conference, which was attended by global rugby leaders including Japan Rugby Football Union Chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi, is “integral” to the body’s new strategic plan – which is yet to be unveiled – the International Federation announced. World Rugby annou

Mark Pickering

Mar 42 min read

Eddie Jones: New Zealand should bring back Retallick

Japan head coach Eddie Jones believes that the All Blacks should try to lure Kobe Steelers captain Brodie Retallick back to Test rugby this summer. Retallick, 34, who won the last of his 109 caps for his country in the 2023 World Cup final, is nearing the end of his three-year contract in Japan. The 2014 World Player of The Year has been in inspired form for Dave Rennie’s title candidates Kobe and is the top scorer in division one with nine tries in eight games. The former Ch

Mark Pickering

Feb 172 min read

Lachlan Boshier: It would be exciting to get a Japan call-up

Saitama Wild Knights flanker Lachlan Boshier would welcome a call-up by Eddie Jones to play for Japan next year. Boshier, 31, who starred in Saitama’s 46-0 demolition of champions Toshiba on Sunday with a try-scoring and industrious display, spoke for the first time since qualifying for Japan on residency grounds. The ex-New Zealand u20s international left the Chiefs to join Saitama in 2022 and helped the Kumagaya outfit to win the inaugural League One title in his first seas

Mark Pickering

Dec 16, 20252 min read

I enjoy beating Australia – Eddie Jones

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has lauded his record against Australia as he prepares to face his former employers for the first time since presiding over the Wallabies’ first group stage exit at the World Cup in 2023. Pacific Nations Cup runners-up Japan host Joe Schmidt’s resurgent side on Saturday at the National Stadium in Tokyo ahead of the Autumn Nations Series in November. The build-up has been dominated by Jones being reunited with the two-time World Cup winners who he

Mark Pickering

Oct 24, 20253 min read