I didn’t coach very well last year – Eddie Jones

Under-pressure Japan head coach Eddie Jones has conceded that he didn’t ‘coach very well last year’ as he prepares the Brave Blossoms for their first matches of the year.

The former England and Wallabies head coach officially returned to the Brave Blossoms hotseat in December 2023 and oversaw heavy home defeats to England, Italy, Fiji and New Zealand last year which prompted the JRFU to review his position.

Jones, 65, whose side recorded Test match wins over tier 2 nations Canada, USA, Samoa and Uruguay, was given a vote of confidence with JRFU bosses hoping that the 2017 World Rugby Coach of the Year can rekindle their 2015 heroics when they upset South Africa at the World Cup.

The former Suntory Sungoliath head coach masterminded Japan’s dramatic win a decade ago which sparked a new love affair with the game in the country.  

Former Japan international Jamie Joseph took the team to even greater heights at their home World Cup in 2019 as they defeated Russia, Ireland, Samoa and Scotland to win their Pool before running out of steam in the quarter finals against eventual winners South Africa.

Jones, who led Japan from 2012 to 2015 before being lured away by England, reflected on Japan’s 2024 campaign and what he’s looking to change this season.

“Coming back to Japan, I didn’t understand how much Japanese rugby has changed, how the players thinking had changed,” said the Australian who took England to the 2019 World Cup final in Yokohama.

“Did I coach well last year, no, I don’t think I coached very well last year, a 100 percent.” 

Jones' side opens their season on Saturday when a Japan XV hosts the Māori All Blacks in Tokyo before back-to-back Test matches against wounded Wales in Kitakyushu and Kobe next month.

The veteran coach, who will take a backseat this week after handing head coach duties to forwards coach Neal Hatley for the Māori game, outlined his vision for the Japanese team.

“One of the things I’ve really tried to work on is coaching the Japanese players better. I think the fans want a Japanese team and I think one of my key roles is to promote Japanese players so I took on the task of coaching the Japan Talent Squad and Japan u23’s because I want to understand how those young players think and I think I’ve got a much better understanding of that now.

“Going forward I won’t change my approach, but I’ll change some of the ways that we do things. I think with younger players now having more one-on-ones is so important.” 

Taskmaster Jones’ gruelling training regime for his players will not be changing.  

“The game doesn’t change. The game day reality is a reflection of your training and particularly for Japanese teams we need to train hard. If there’s complaints about that then there’s probably going to be complaints about that for the next three years because I know what it takes to win at the international level.

“We need players who want to do it (train hard). If they don’t want to do it that’s ok, if it’s too difficult for them then don’t play for your country.

“Playing for your country is an honour and a privilege and it takes hard work. To win at the highest level it takes hard work, there’s no shortcuts.”

The JRFU will announce the Japan XV team to face the Māori All Blacks on Thursday afternoon.

Stay tuned to RugbyJP.com for all the build-up to Saturday’s encounter at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.