In the aftermath of an underwhelming World Cup campaign, marked by Australia’s unprecedented failure to progress beyond the pool stages, speculation began to circulate about Eddie Jones and his future plans.
Persistent rumors suggested that Jones had a specific target in mind — none other than the Japanese national rugby team.
The 63-year old had reportedly undergone an interview with the JRFU just two weeks before his 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign took flight with the Wallabies, and a historic failure of Australia to progress outside of the pool stages hinted that his sights were set elsewhere.
However, Jones denied the claim at the time:
Shooting his shot at a second run in charge of the Brave Blossoms after a 3-year campaign from 2012 to 2015, Jones brings a wealth of experience, including famously leading the charge for Japan’s renowned ‘Brighton Miracle,’ securing an unprecedented 34-32 victory against South Africa, with odds of 80-1 at the time.
Having been approached about his loyalty to the Wallabies, the former England Head Coach insisted he was dedicated to coaching them. However, stepping away from the role just 10 months into his 5-year contract showed otherwise.
Now, as we head into 2024, England is set to face Japan in a Test match on home soil on Saturday, June 22. This upcoming matchup further cements the strengthening relationship between the RFU (Rugby Football Union) and JRFU (Japan Rugby Football Union), following previous matches at Twickenham in 2018 and 2022.
Jones will be a replacement for his successor, Jamie Joseph, who led Japan’s Brave Blossoms to the World Cup quarter-finals on home soil in 2019 and a pool-stage exit in France.
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