Eddie Jones says he has no regrets about his second stint as Australia’s rugby coach, and plans to make Japan one of the best four teams in the world.
He is also keen to help unearth global sporting talent, such as Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Jones takes over Japan for a second spell after a calamitous, short-lived stint with Australia and a seven-year run with England that took them to a World Cup final in 2019 but also ended in acrimony after a poor run.
His first game back in charge of the Brave Blossoms, currently ranked 12th, is against his old side, fifth-ranked England, on June 22 in Tokyo.
“There’s no reason why we can’t jump into the top four,” Jones told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan in Tokyo on Wednesday.
“We need to create a new style of play that is adventurous, that suits Japanese instincts, that is attacking.”
He also spoke about attracting talented players to the team.
“It’s about how we can make young players be really ambitious in wanting to be the best player they can and create the next rugby Ohtani,” Jones added, referring to the dual-threat Major League Baseball player who is a national hero in Japan.
Jones defended his tenure at the helm of Australia, which resulted in just two wins in nine matches and the nation’s earliest ever departure from a World Cup in 2023, saying he had left the team “in a better place”.
“Don’t have any regrets, like I tried to do my best in a short period of time, and what I think I’ve left Australia is a young squad that’s capable of doing well,” he said.
“Sometimes you’ve got to leave things in a better place and maybe you take responsibility for the failure, which is OK.”
Plowdog
Roar Rookie
Stop, just stop with the stories about Eddie. He's gone...leave it that way.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Japanese clubs are flush with cash due to corporations' largesse. That and the JRU are not the same thing.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Nah, it's lineout coach. Eddie needs help get things straight.
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
Snake oil salesman
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
Eddie you were the worst coach in Australian history
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
If you look stupid you probably are stupid. That’s one of mine.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
Bark Bark Bark Bark. grrrrrrr.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
Grrrrrr-bark-bark-bark-bark-grrrrrrr.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Woof
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
Best o ruck Japan you mean.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
I didn’t even read this.
Ruckin' Oaf
Roar Rookie
Best o luck to Japan.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Yes I mentioned that in my 1996 All Blacks v 2024 Ireland - you might find it interesting. Much harder for them to recruit "project players" to fill gaps now.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Huge and similar with Ireland
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Can’t wait till Japan tours Oz and the reception Eddie gets. Yeah a triple test series vs Japan would be fascinating and more competitive than the Upcoming Bledisloe as we are 2-3 years away in being able to compete against nz as the depth will slowly grow. The NZ super sides will slowly get momentum and the qtrs will be 3 nz sides and maybe the reds/ brumbies in the top 4.
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Who would ever believed that Italy would be above us. Who’s next Japan, Portugal and Georgia. Eddie may get Japan in the top 10
piru
Roar Rookie
He may not be wrong, but not for the reason he thinks. Hitting rock bottom has at least made people sit up and take notice
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Well. They are in a better place due to his departure. So he is kind of right??
El Flash
Roar Rookie
Eddie Jones is a fool. However, his biggest mistake has been to jump ship to Japan. He left Australia with a lamentable record however as witnessed by the early Super rounds, Wallaby rugby may well be on the up. He will not be around to enjoy any Wallaby wins this year. Nor can he take any credit. Instead, typical of some of the moronic decisions he has made in recent years has taken on a light weight rugby nation that will not or cannot sustain pressure against the top 10 nations in World Rugby. More hurt for Eddie coming up I'm afraid.
HittingGapsWithNoGas
Roar Rookie
Rumours in the Yomiuri Shimbun that he's going to appoint former Seattle submarine pitcher Shunsuke Watanabe as scrum coach. The difficulties of moving to a non Rugby League playing nation.