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TOKYO – Japan’s rugby coach Jamie Joseph is looking forward to seeing Miracle of Brighton architect Eddie Jones again in 2023, but warned on Tuesday that this top-level competition was « crucial » to the Preparing his team.
The 2019 quarter-finalists were drawn in Pool D with Argentina and an English team trained by Jones that led Japan to their titanic uproar against South Africa at the 2015 tournament in England.
Jones’ ties to Japanese rugby go back decades and he is still the rugby director of Tokyo’s club Suntory Sungoliath. But Joseph is confident of outsmarting the crafty Australian when they meet in three years.
« I hope he thinks we are way too far behind England to be concerned at this stage, » Joseph told an online press conference from his home in New Zealand.
« He knows pretty much everything in rugby except what we do. We are constantly adapting. «
Japan stunned Ireland and Scotland, outperforming their group en route to a first quarter-final at last year’s World Cup on home soil.
But the coronavirus pandemic and a super rugby reshuffle left the Asian nation unable to capitalize in 2020.
The Tokyo-based Sunwolves have been dropped from super rugby after winning just eight games in four seasons, while the national team hasn’t played since the World Cup due to the pandemic.
The domestic top league has also been out of action after six rounds since the end of their season in February, and Joseph warned on Tuesday that his players would have to be regularly exposed to rugby at the highest level in order to make a name for themselves in 2023.
« The Sunwolves haven’t been very successful in terms of results, but to prepare our players for a big campaign in 2019 it was exactly what we needed, » said Joseph.
« I don’t think the Top League will be enough rugby on its own unless we have an extended friendly season, of course, which again is an option. «
Japan had to decline an invitation to the Autumn Nations Cup in Europe last month as coronavirus restrictions prevented Joseph and his coaching staff from returning to Japan to prepare the team.
Japan also had to abolish home tests against England and Wales in the summer and away games against Ireland and Scotland in the autumn.
Japan will be on the 26th. Will play against the British and Irish Lions in Edinburgh on June 6th, and the Japan Rugby Football Union said Tuesday it was confident of hosting three friendly matches at the highest level before and after that match.
2023 World Rugby Cup, New Zealand National Rugby Union Team, 2023, South African National Rugby Union Team, Ireland
World News – AU – Japan is excited to reunite the World Cup with England Wonder ‘man Eddie Jones
Ref: https://www.iol.co.za
