Eddie Jones predicts bright future for Japanese rugby after win over Springboks
Sunday 20 September 2015 00:04, UK
Eddie Jones hopes Japan's win over South Africa at the Rugby World Cup will be the start of a bright future for the sport in the country.
Coach Jones admitted to a sense of disbelief after watching his side secure a 34-32 victory when Karne Hesketh dived over the line in the 84th minute to score the winning try.
That meant the Brave Blossoms, who have three players in their squad who were not even born when Japan had last won a World Cup match in 1991, created an upset which ranks among the most remarkable sport has ever known.
The Springboks were as short as 1/1000 to win their opening Pool B match and have to avoid any further shocks against supposed tougher opposition in Samoa, Scotland and the USA.
But for Jones it is now a big chance to bring rugby union into the spotlight in a country where it is dominated by sports such as baseball and soccer, especially with the next tournament due to take place there in 2019.
"We worked hard for it. I've coached for 20 years and I've never worked as hard as I have with Japan and I have to be honest with you, I can't work this hard anymore... I'm getting too old! At 55 I should be in Barbados watching cricket," Jones said.
"The crowd support was amazing. I think even the Springbok supporters were baying for us near the end...maybe not, maybe I'm exaggerating. But the noise for the team was unbelievable.
"That's got to go down as one of greatest games in World Cup history.
"We had an opening ceremony in Brighton last week and they showed a video of the Japan's [rugby] history. We hadn't won a game for 24 years [Zimbabwe in 1991 was their last win].
"I said to the guys after: 'Next time they do that in four years, you want them to show a history where Japan has won big games'.
"Now the history has changed for Japanese rugby. There are little kids at home now who maybe wanted to be basketballers or soccer players, who wanted to be the next Masahiro Tanaka at the New York Yankees or Shinji Kagawa at.. whoever he plays for in Germany [Borussia Dortmund] or Keisuke Honda at AC Milan.
"Now they will want to be the next Michael Leitch or Ayumu Gorumaru. It can change the face of the sport in Japan because the best athletes might now be attracted to play rugby. It can have an amazing impact."
