In a remarkable return to coaching, Eddie Jones has been reinstated as the head coach of Japan’s national rugby team, the Brave Blossoms, just months after a brief and tumultuous stint with Australia’s Wallabies. At 65, Jones shows no signs of retiring from the sport, despite the challenges he faced earlier this year that culminated in an early exit from the World Cup with Australia.
Following his departure from the Wallabies after only nine matches in nine months, speculation grew regarding his interest in coaching Japan prior to his exit from the Australian role. Despite denying those rumors, he has now taken the helm of Japan’s national team for the second time, a decision he claims aligns with his ambitions for the upcoming World Cup in Australia.
In reflecting on his coaching journey, Jones expressed a desire to improve the global landscape of rugby, while his immediate focus remains on the sustainability and success of the sport in Japan. He noted the unpredictability of player development, citing the advantageous circumstances of past teams in 2015 and 2019. “Sometimes you are lucky when a group of players come through at the same time and they help you win,” he stated. However, he emphasized the importance of establishing a consistent player development system, similar to that of Ireland, to ensure ongoing success.
To facilitate this, Jones is encouraging the Japan Rugby Union to explore ways to create a high-performance environment within the university structure, aimed at accelerating the development of emerging talent. Expressing his long-standing commitment to coaching, he remarked, “I’ve been in the coaching game for a long time and I want to make Japan, within the conditions we’ve got, sustainably successful.”
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Jones currently holds a contract that extends until the World Cup, after which he plans to evaluate his coaching future alongside his wife, Hiroko. He acknowledged the significant contributions he has made over his three decades in coaching, implying that his wife might play a pivotal role in determining his next steps. “I love the game and I love coaching. I want to see the game get better,” he concluded, reinforcing his dedication to evolving the sport.
With the upcoming World Cup on the horizon, Jones’s leadership will be crucial as Japan aims to build on its achievements and navigate the competitive landscape of international rugby.
