Jones pleased with win over Uruguay but says team still needs to improve

FUKUOKA (Aug. 23) – Japan head coach Eddie Jones was a happier man following his side’s 30-8 win over Uruguay.

But as he has done all year, he was quick to point out that there is still a long way to go before Japan reach their peak.

“The win will give us some confidence and will help the players work harder,” he said.

“When we won 10 tests straight I said that we weren’t that good and while we had lost four straight (coming into this game) we weren’t that bad. This was a reward for the players and they can hold their heads up as we go back to Miyazaki for training camp. But we need to keep improving.”

Jones said he was particularly pleased that a number of key players were slowly coming back to form.

“Shota Horie had by far his best game since he had his neck operation, Michael Leitch is back to better form and Hendrik Tui ran some great lines. He just needs to remember to catch the ball.”

Tui was one of a number of players on the field that struggled to control the ball on a hot and humid evening.

“I don’t want to make excuses for the players but it was like playing in heavy rain out there,” Jones said. “When the ball is like that it’s better off letting the opposition have it because it’s so hard holding onto it.”

Jones also praised the opposition, who Japan take on again in Tokyo on Aug. 29.

“It was a tricky game and they defended well,” he said. “But our set play was good, our line-out was excellent and our scrum got better as the game went on. We weren’t that sharp in attack and were hanging back a bit but we have regained some confidence.”

Having struggled at the breakdown during the Pacific Nations Cup, Jones was happy with the performance of the Brave Blossoms against a tough forward pack.

“They were pretty hard over the ball,” Jones said of the breakdown. “It’s difficult to play teams that set out  to stop you playing and you have to give Uruguay credit for that. But we are getting our technique right.”