The game plan is out in the open! Japan's head coach, Eddie Jones, is preparing his team, the Brave Blossoms, for a tough match against South Africa at Wembley this weekend. After a close loss to the Wallabies, Japan faces the Springboks before heading to England and Italy. But what's the secret to facing the reigning world champions? Let's dive in.
Jones, speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, gave a clear view of how Japan can compete. He believes there's no mystery to South Africa's strategy.
"They don't make it a secret," Jones said. "They get 30 metres from your line, two forwards come around the same way and it’s coming. You’ve just got to be good enough to stop it, and you’ve got to be able to neutralise the high ball. If you can stop those two parts of the game, you give yourself a chance to win." So, expect a heavy dose of forward power and a focus on winning the aerial battle. It's about stopping their direct approach.
He also discussed Japan's attacking options. He noted that trying to play around the Bok defense, like New Zealand traditionally does, is risky.
"They play a half-pitch defence where the winger can come in from the 15 metres to close at the near post," he explained. "So you either try to play through that, which is one way, or you play over it, or you can, like New Zealand traditionally do, try to play around it — which is high risk and little return." It's a high-stakes gamble to go around them.
These comments came after Japan's narrow 19-15 defeat to Australia. Jones highlighted the team's growing defensive strength, noting they were "one play away from winning." The team made around 200 tackles against the Wallabies, showing their resilience.
"We made 200 tackles in the game… for a Japanese side, which is normally an attacking side, to make 200 tackles… and I think we had 97 per cent success… they’re a bit sore."
Japan was cheered on by over 41,000 fans at the Japan National Stadium, the largest crowd since the 2019 World Cup. Jones believes this shows the team's growing connection with the public.
"The players are discovering their identity and the way they want to follow their team," he said. "They’ve got a young group, they get on well, and they’re starting to gel."
The Brave Blossoms are heading to London with some injury concerns, including hooker Mamoru Harada. However, Jones emphasizes that the focus is on attitude.
"We’ve done all the science about sleeping," he said. "We’ve tried to manage as much as possible, but the big thing is attitude — wanting to get out there and play."
So, what do you think? Will Japan's strategy be enough to overcome South Africa's predictable, yet powerful, game plan? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
