Jones Upbeat Following U23 Victory Over Aussie Baa-Baas
Currently on tour in Australia with the Japan U23 side, Japan Head Coach, Eddie Jones was all smiles following his side’s 31-43 win over the Australian Barbarians at C.ex Coffs International Stadium in Coffs Harbour on Saturday, April 5.
The result came off the back of a dominant opening half performance in which the Japanese side set a cracking pace, showcasing Jones’ vision of Chosoku or ‘super-fast rugby’ for sustained periods throughout the first half.
The display would have pleased Jones, who has made the development of the next generation of Brave Blossoms one of his major focus areas since returning to coach Japan in 2024. With the victory being the first ever over an Australian opposition, in Australia by a senior Japan men’s side, the Head Coach will have no doubt stressed the significance of this milestone on his young charges.
As Australia are set to host the next men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027, the experience of winning away from home, in Australia will provide a valuable foundation for a number of players with the potential to make Japan’s RWC squad in two years’ time.
Speaking to Japanese media in a mid-week press conference during preparations for their upcoming match against Australia U20, Jones said: “Definitely we wanted to play like Japan, and as I’ve been talking about, we want to create a Japanese style of play that suits the players we have. The players were able to show that, particularly in the first half. If you look at the score, at the 60-minute mark, we were 43 to 7 ahead.
“I was really pleased with their effort. In terms of the squad, it’s the first time they’ve played against professional players, so it was a great experience for them, and it’s the first time in the history of Japanese rugby that a senior men’s team has won in Australia. That’s significant leading towards the World Cup in 2027. What we’re hoping to do on this tour is to find three or four players who are capable of being in the World Cup squad.”
With Japan having dominated across the opening three quarters, the Baa-Baas fought back strongly in the final 20 minutes, running in 24 unanswered points as the visitors began to tire. As the final whistle blew, both sides were clearly out on their feet, but there were smiles all round and a great display of rugby’s ‘no-side spirit’ with the players and staff from both teams enjoying the chance to interact with each other on the field, post-match.
The sizeable crowd who turned out for the fixture showed their appreciation for the teams with a standing ovation, clearly having enjoyed the spectacle of a match that delivered an incredible mix of skill, speed and athleticism from both sides.
Having celebrated a well-earned victory in their first outing, the team is now firmly focused on their next match against Australia U20 on Friday, April 11. The fixture will take place at the same Coffs Harbour venue, some six hours drive north of Sydney, on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.
“Our next game against Australia U20 is going to be a real step up. In the rankings at U20 level, Australia is ranked sixth while Japan is ranked fifteenth. Our team is called U23, yet the average age is 21. The Aussies will be very similar in age profile and we’ll get a clearer picture of where our players are in terms of world rankings and their capacity to go forward and win games for Japan at test match level,” concluded Jones.
Japan U23 2025 Australian Tour
Saturday 5 April
Australian Barbarians vs Japan U23
Coffs Harbour
31-43 (W)
Friday 11 April
Australian U20 vs Japan U23
17:30 Kick-off (16:30 Japan Time)
Coffs Harbour
Tuesday 15 April
Randwick vs Japan U23
14:00 Kick-off (13:00 Japan Time)
Randwick Rugby Club, Sydney
The Australia U20 fixtures will be streamed live on NSWRugbyTV.com.au. Broadcast details for the Randwick match will be announced at a later date.