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The Japan head coach has been left less than impressed by a recent decision
Eddie Jones has been left distinctly unimpressed after it was decided by World Rugby that his Japan side would have to play their Nations Championship clash with Ireland in Australia.
It was announced earlier this month that Jones’ side would take on Andy Farrell’s team in Newcastle, in New South Wales, on July 11 this year, as part of the inaugural tournament. Japan, alongside Fiji, were invited to join the competition alongside the Six Nations and Rugby Championship sides, as the best teams in the northern and southern hemisphere do battle.
Having been welcomed in to the tournament, the Brave Blossoms and the Fijians have both had to make concessions in terms of moving their ‘home’ games.
The Pacific Islanders will play all three of their matches this summer in the UK, including a showdown with Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium, but Jones has been left fuming over one decision affecting his side.
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Ireland’s away fixtures this summer are against the Wallabies, Japan and New Zealand, but while Jones’ side are playing their home games in Tokyo, they will be forced to travel 10 hours to Australia for the clash with Farrell’s men.
Speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, former England and Australia head coach Jones said the decision had been reached to limit Ireland’s travel time, saving them from flying to Asia in between facing the Wallabies and the All Blacks.
“You know why we’re playing Ireland in Newcastle, right?,” he said. “Ireland have all the power at World Rugby, so we have to play our home game, which should be in Tokyo, in Australia to make sure Ireland don’t have to travel too much. Let’s be frank about this.”
Podcast host David Pembroke then asked: “So Ireland said: ‘we’re not going to Tokyo’?,” to which Jones replied: “We just have to suck it up and that’s what happens when you’re not a major political power at the table.”
Asked how much say Japan had over the decision to move the fixture to Australia, the head coach added: “I know how they [talks] took place.
“Ireland say: ‘We’re not going from New Zealand to Japan and then back to Australia, we’re not doing that’. Japan, you want to be in the Nations Cup? Yes, of course we do, but you’ve got to use one of your home games to play in Australia.
“It’s simple mate, it’s not complicated.”
However, Jones later admitted that Japan have “got to be grateful” to be involved in the competition and accepted that concessions would likely have to be made.
“We’ve got to be grateful to be in the Nations Cup and at the end of the day it’s a huge honour for Japan to be in the Nations Cup,” he said. “So we’ve got to accept there might be some inequalities in terms of the distribution of games.”
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