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Eddie Jones highlights two areas of vulnerability for Japan vs Fiji
By Ned Lester
Japan head coach Eddie Jones was quick to identify two key areas his side will have to work on throughout this week ahead of their Pacific Nations Cup final against Fiji in Osaka.
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With an average scoring output of 48 points a game over their opening three PNC fixtures, the Brave Blossoms have comfortably earned their place in the grand final, however, they are under no illusions their final opponents pose their steepest challenge yet.
Having opened their PNC campaign with a 40-point performance against Samoa of their own, Fiji join Japan as undefeated finalists with youthful star power.
New Fiji head coach Mick Byrne has made an impressive start to his mission of empowering the Fijian forward game while bringing more patience and structure to their infamous attacking prowess.
It’s progress that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Jones, and while the former England and Australia boss says he was pleased to see his team deal with a higher level of opposition in Samoa, he knows his team are in for another leap.
“It’s a good step up for the team,” the coach told reporters in Tokyo. “Samoa are obviously much stronger opposition than USA and Canada.
“I thought we started the game really well with great intent, particularly playing against a strong wind. We set the platform for the win.
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“But, we know next week against Fiji, thinking about Fiji now, we need to improve our defence around the ruck and our kick chase defence. They’ll be key areas we need to practice this week.
“So, as much as we’re pleased to be in the final, our only aim is to win the final and we’ve got to play against a high-quality opponent in Fiji so we’ve got a good week of preparation ahead of us to get ready.”
The coach expanded on the two key areas he identified for the Fiji game and what his messages will be for his side this week.
“We’ve got to train hard, that’s the first thing. We have to set the tone physically against Fiji. Going back to what I said, our ruck defence has got to be really good, we can’t allow them to get any sort of momentum around the ruck.
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“And then we’ve got to make sure that when we do kick our chase defence is much more connected than it was today.
“But, they’re opportunities for us to grow. I’m really pleased with this young team and how they approached this game today. They went out there against a team that’s ranked ahead of us and really tried hard out there.”
Jones didn’t mince his words at the team naming press conference last Friday when talking about his players’ mentality, saying his men were on track to miss reaching their full potential because they weren’t pushing themselves enough.
With a youthful squad selected three years out from Australia’s 2027 Rugby World Cup, the coach is making his vision for the team clear.
“Well, I’ve got a long-term strategy to develop a squad for the World Cup in 2027 that can make the top four in the world, so that’s the long-term strategy. But then each week we try and pick the best 23.”
