Eddie Jones has issued a blunt warning to his Japan squad, insisting the Brave Blossoms will go nowhere on the world stage unless their players get bigger, stronger and far more committed.

Japan are coming off a bruising European tour that saw them hammered by South Africa and Ireland before a narrow defeat to Wales and a desperate, last-minute escape against Georgia. It capped a tough second year back in charge for Jones, following similarly heavy setbacks in 2024 against England, New Zealand and France.

EDDIE: Nations Champs a springboard for Japan

Returning to Tokyo with his squad, Jones was crystal clear: Japan’s next generation won’t crack Test rugby unless they dramatically raise their standards.

“We had a young guy coming in (to the squad) and in five months he’s put on 5kg of muscle mass, but he shouldn’t need us to encourage him to do that,” Jones said. “We need players in League One to understand that firstly you need a body to play Test match rugby, and to do that you’ve got to train appreciably harder than they’ve been training.”

With Japan Rugby League One kicking off next month, Jones said the onus is now firmly on players who want to break into his squad.

“Players have a choice to make,” he said. “If they want to do it and they start performing well and get a body to do it, then we’re going to look at them very seriously. We’re looking for players who are hungry, who are hungry to win at international level.”

Jones has already set an ambitious benchmark for his team: reach the semi-finals of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. It’s a lofty target for a side currently searching for consistency, but the coach – who masterminded Japan’s historic 2015 World Cup victory over the Springboks – says belief must come before success.

EDDIE: TMO killing spectacle of rugby

The 65-year-old said there was “no reason” Japan can’t break into the world’s elite in two years’ time.

“Unless you aspire to be the best, you’ll never get there,” he said. “I can remember 10 years sitting here at a similar conference and saying we want to be in the top eight in the world, and everyone looked at me like I had two heads.”

– AFP

Photo: Masterpress / Getty Images