The 14 times Eddie Jones denied links with Japan top job

He has been synonymous with Japanese rugby for the best part of three decades since joining Tokai University as coach in 1996, but Eddie Jones has spent the past 2½ months trying to distance himself from a professional return to the land of his mother’s heritage.

The arc of Jones’ career in Japan has since taken in stints with the national side as an assistant coach (1996) and as head coach (2012-2015), and at the country’s glamour club – Suntory Goliath – as a director of rugby.

Now Jones has once again moved to the country permanently and, having attended a second interview for the vacant national head coach role on Thursday in Tokyo, is well-placed for his second stint at the helm of the Brave Blossoms from 2024 to the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

If Jones is announced as the new coach of Japan, it will mark the endpoint of a story that began nearly three months ago when he issued the first of at least 14 denials that he had been in contact with Japan – and had taken part in a Zoom interview – about the role.

September 14 – The initial denial

The first whiff that there might be something happening barely made a dent in the news cycle when a low-key news report in Japan linked Jones with the vacant Brave Blossoms head coaching role.

Eddie Jones surveys Australia’s historic World Cup loss to Fiji.Credit: Getty

This masthead subsequently approached the Wallabies for a comment from head coach Jones just days before Australia’s second World Cup match against Fiji.

“Bullshit and gossip,” Jones said via a spokesperson. Australia lost to Fiji 22-15, which was the team’s first defeat to the Pacific Island nation in 69 years.

September 24 – The story goes live

Not long after the initial denial, this masthead received information that Jones had spoken to Japanese rugby officials.

Jones, who was contracted to take the Wallabies through to the end of the 2027 World Cup, had attended an initial Zoom call on August 25, two days out from the Wallabies’ warm-up match against France in Paris.

Eddie Jones before the Wales game.Credit: Getty

This masthead put a list of five questions to Jones through a Rugby Australia spokesperson but he declined to comment, the official response being: “[Eddie has] nothing to say.”

Hamish McLennan, the then-RA chairman, was told in a phone call from this masthead that a big story was about to be published.

RA chief executive Phil Waugh sought clarity from Jones, who told him there was nothing to worry about.

“I take people at their word and Eddie’s said there’s nothing in it,” Waugh said. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s the end of the story and everyone’s focus is on this weekend’s crucial game against Wales.”

September 24 – The first press conference

Jones was completely dejected after Australia’s 40-6 loss to Wales in Lyon, which all but determined that the Wallabies would fail to qualify for the next phase of the tournament. Facing a throng of reporters in the post-match press conference, Jones was asked by this masthead whether he had a second interview lined up with Japan.

“I don’t know what you are talking about mate,” Jones said.

Asked if he could give Wallabies fans a 100 per cent commitment that he would not be the coach of Japan next year, Jones said: “I have committed to coach Australia.”

Eddie Jones at his press conference after Australia’s 40-6 loss to Wales.Credit: Getty

A World Rugby media manager then told this masthead to hand the microphone over because “only one follow-up question” was allowed.

When subsequent questions from reporters circled back to the Japan job, Jones threatened to walk out of what was a tense press conference if the issue was raised again.

“I take umbrage at the questioning [and] people questioning my commitment to coaching Australia,” he said. “We are not going to deal with those questions any further. I am happy to talk about Wales, I am happy to talk about [next opponents] Portugal. If you want to keep going down that line, I will excuse myself.”

September 28 – The first time Jones says ‘no’

As Australia prepared to take on Portugal in their final pool match, Jones doubled down on his denial, reiterating that he had not logged on to a Zoom call about the Japan coaching position.

“No, I haven’t applied for a job for a long time,” Jones said in an interview with The Australian. “Someone’s got a story and they’re running with it, and the only thing I can say is I’m committed to coach Australia.”

September 29 – The first time Jones says ‘no’ on camera

Two days out from Australia’s final World Cup match against Portugal, Jones was pressed three times before he said on camera that he did not chat with Japan officials.

“I said no mate. I said no previously,” Jones said.

The Wallabies beat Portugal to keep the slimmest of World Cup dreams alive.Credit: Getty

“I’m concentrating on the Portugal game. I’m 100 per cent committed to the job.”

It was becoming clear that Jones did not want to answer any more questions on the subject.

October 6 – Interview with The Daily Mail

With the Wallabies all but out of the World Cup, Jones agreed to an interview with respected UK rugby writer Chris Foy at Australia’s base in Saint-Etienne.

The Japan question came up again, with Jones labelling it “noise”.

“I have signed a five-year contract,” Jones told Foy. “There’s been this noise about Japan, but nothing has happened. So that’s just added a bit more noise to it.”

October 12 – Sydney Airport

After Australia had officially crashed out of the World Cup in what was their worst-ever showing at the tournament, Jones arrived back in Australia with the code in disarray.

He was greeted by a Channel 7 reporter who asked the Wallabies boss whether he was heading to Japan.

“Ah, no comment mate,” Jones said.

Asked if he’d spoken to Japan officials about the head coach role next year, Jones replied: “I’ve had no discussions with them, mate.”

October 17 – Coogee Oval

Despite reports in Japan that Jones was about to walk away from Australian rugby, he declared that he was staying put.

Asked whether he had been in contact specifically with any third parties, such as recruitment agencies or executive search organisations regarding the Japan role, Jones responded: “Not that I’m aware of.”

Asked if he was going to take part in another interview, Jones replied: “No”.

October 27 – Q&A with Peter FitzSimons

Another day and another denial from Jones, this time with this masthead’s Peter FitzSimons.

“It’s false,” Jones said. “There’s no named source for these stories, so there’s no credibility about the story to start with. Secondly, the president of Japan Rugby happens to be a very close associate of mine.

“Every time I go to Japan, I have coffee with him. To respond to every rumour that’s been said about me, I’d need a full-time PR person.”

October 30 – Jones quits

In a parting interview on the night of his resignation after an unsuccessful second stint with the Wallabies that had yielded only two wins from nine Tests, Jones was not about to change his tune. “The only thing I’m disappointed about is the media was trying to portray me as not being committed to Australian rugby,” he said.

October 30 – Channel 9 with Danny Weidler

In an interview with Weidler, Jones said he had “no job offer” from Japan, which was true.

Reports by this masthead to this point had revealed only that Jones had attended an initial interview, not that he had been offered the role.

“I’ve got no job offer,” Jones said. “That’s never been the case. You can run all those sort of stories … but my commitment to Australian rugby has been 100 per cent.”

Weidler then asked: “In a month’s time will we be seeing you as coach of Japan?”

Hamish McLennan with Eddie Jones and former Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos after Jones’ appointment in January. Less than 10 months late, none remain in their jobs.Credit: Getty

“I don’t know mate ... there is nothing on the horizon,” Jones replied.

“I’m officially unemployed today.”

November 3 – Barbarians press conference

In Cardiff, where he was co-coaching the Barbarians for a match against Wales, Jones fronted a sizeable UK press pack and again could not avoid questions about his future.

He was asked if Japan was an option.

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask The Sydney Morning Herald,” he replied. “They seem to know more than me. Can’t we get them on the line? I’m sure we can get an update from them.

“I think it’s a red herring. Now we’re trying to say that a supposed interview [with Japan] was the reason Australia had a bad World Cup? That’s a load of rubbish.”

November 7 – The holiday in Japan

Jones told FitzSimons he was flying to Okinawa in Japan for a holiday after the Barbarians game.

In Yokohama, some 2000 kilometres away from Okinawa, he admitted for the first time in an interview with Kyodo News that he would be keen on the Japan role.

“I’ve had no offer, let’s be clear,” Jones said. “If they [Japan] came to me and said, ‘Are you interested in coaching them?’ I’d definitely be interested.”

November 19 – Podcast with James Graham

Sporting a black t-shirt, Jones spent nearly two hours discussing the Wallabies, his love of rugby league and his relationship with Masato Tsuchida, president of the Japan Rugby Football Union.

“He was the first Suntory coach that I had an association with and that is probably a bit of a stumbling block because he wants to run his own race,” Jones said on The Bye Round podcast. “He doesn’t want to be [accused] of favouritism. I’ll just wait and see. I reckon they’ll do something in the next couple of months.”

Asked if he’d “signed on”, Jones said: “Not yet.”

“Conversations go on all the time,” Jones added. “Agents ring you up. You know what it’s like. If I was intending to go somewhere else, why would I take a young squad [to the World Cup]? Unless I’m a lunatic – which I’m probably close to – but [I am] not a full-blown lunatic.

“I have been a consultant for Suntory in Japan since 1996. I’ll go back and start doing a bit with them in Japan and then just wait and see.”

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