Eddie Jones officially back at the helm of Japan

2023-12-13 13:30:50

By the editorial staff

Published 34 minutes ago, Updated now

Eddie Jones remains on a resounding failure with Australia. Federico Pestellini / Panoramic

After coaching England and Australia, the technician returns to the helm of the Japanese selection which he had already managed between 2012 and 2015.

Less than two months after leaving the Wallabies in a bitter failure (elimination in the group stage after setbacks against the Fijians and the Welsh), Eddie Jones once again became Japan coach this Wednesday. He will take office on January 1 and will succeed Jamie Joseph. After a first mandate at the head of the Brave Blossoms between 2012 and 2015, the 63-year-old Australian was, in recent months, strongly expected to return to the helm of the Japanese selection which he had led to historic success in Africa of the South during the 2015 World Cup in England.

Local media reported that the former England coach had successfully passed a job interview with the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) on Thursday in Tokyo. His designation became official following approval by the JRFU Board of Directors on Wednesday.

Eddie Jones allowed Japan to achieve the greatest feat in its history by beating the Springboks (34-32) at the 2015 World Cup, for what is now called “the Brighton miracle”. During this edition, the Brave Blossoms became the first team not to qualify for the quarter-finals despite three group victories during a World Cup. The difference against the Boks and the Scots was made in the number of bonuses gleaned.

Subsequently, he woke England up after the fiasco of the 2015 World Cup (first organizing country not to reach the quarters), achieving the Grand Slam in 2020 and reaching the final of the 2019 World Cup ( defeat against South Africa), after having destroyed Australia in the quarter-final and New Zealand in the semi-final. His return to the Wallabies was a bitter failure with a dark series of seven defeats in nine matches in 2023 and a pitiful ninth place in the world rankings.