Glen Jackson to step away from new Japan role in 2027 for MLR job
New Japan national team assistant coach Glen Jackson will take a brief spell away from his role next year after agreeing a deal to coach California Legion in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Former Fijian Drua head coach Jackson, who RugbyJP.com revealed had joined Eddie Jones’ coaching team in July, will leave his Brave Blossoms role from March to June 2027 before rejoining the national team through to the end of the Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The former international referee’s position with Japan was only announced by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) in August.
Jackson is excited to take charge at the MLR Championship Final runners-up who lost out to Chicago Hounds in June.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining California Legion and to have the opportunity to lead the club into the 2027 season,” he said in a club press release.
“I’ve been fortunate that rugby has allowed me to experience the game from a number of different perspectives — as a player, referee and coach — and you learn something different from each of those environments.
“California as a Rugby state has enormous potential. There is a strong rugby community, an incredible athlete and player base, and a market that has the ability to become genuinely significant for the sport.
“What the organisation achieved in 2026, bringing rugby communities across California together and reaching the MLR Final in its first season, provides a great platform.
“I’m looking forward to working with the players, coaches and staff and becoming part of the rugby community across California. We want to play rugby that people enjoy watching, develop players, and ultimately compete for championships.”
Jackson was hailed as instrumental by Jones in helping Japan to win the Pacific Nations Cup - for the first time since 2019 - on Saturday after an arm-wrestle of a game against Fiji in Tokyo.
The former Māori All Blacks representative will see out the 2026 season with the Brave Blossoms who has one more home game this year before finishing their campaign in the Northern Hemisphere for the conclusion of the inaugural Nations Championship.
Japan hosts Fiji on 24 October to mark their 100th anniversary before travelling to face Wales, England and Scotland.
Jones, whose contract runs until the end of the World Cup next year, praised Jackson’s impact on the team prior to California Legion’s announcement on Sunday evening.
“Glen Jackson has had a really good effect on the team,” said the former England and Wallabies coach at his press conference on Sunday.
“He’s brought new ideas in terms of tactics, and we’ve experimented with different attacking ideas. Now we have a number of options in how we attack.”
Stay tuned to RugbyJP.com for on-site coverage of Japan’s Test match against Fiji on October 24
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