Japan ready to take on Dragons

OSAKA (April 25) – Japan coach Eddie Jones said Friday he was looking forward to seeing his young team take on Asia Pacific Dragons on Saturday.

Talking after his side’s final practice at Hanazono Rugby Ground, Jones said the game was the ideal way to prepare for the Asian 5 Nations, which this year serves as the Asian qualifying tournament for Rugby World Cup 2015.

“This will be a good test for us as our preparation has been good but not perfect,” he said. “I am really looking forward to the young guys playing tomorrow against a very motivated Asia Pacific Dragons side.”

Jones said the game was a fantastic opportunity for some of the young backs in particular to show they are capable of playing international rugby.

“We are missing at least four of our first-choice centers and have close on 15 players missing. But for the World Cup we need to pick a squad of 30 and we need those not in the top 15 to be able to play and beat opposition such as Mapasua and Caucaunibuca,” he said referring to the Dragons’ center pairing of Samoan Seilala Mapasu and Fijian Rupeni Caucaunibuca.

Jones said it was also important that the team showed patience early on and he said the effort put in by the players, under new captain Michael Leitch, had left him confident.

“There is a certain maturity coming into the team,” he explained. “We have created a leadership group around Leitch and the players are taking on responsibility and that is happening collectively as a group. They have shown they can do it in training, now is the time to show they can do it in a game.”

Saturday’s game kicks off at 2 p.m., while Japan’s A5N campaign begins next week in Laguna, the Philippines.