'I'll repeat it 100 times': Eddie Jones' ageist selection policy for Japan unhealthy

It was a moment when the commander, seen after a long time, revealed his emotions.

On September 21 at Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Japan’s national team faced Fiji in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup and lost 17-41.

Head coach Eddie Jones admitted defeat during the post-match press conference, saying, “I don't think there's one area in the game we've won.”

In the latter half of the conference, a reporter asked, “Will you call veteran players like Michael Leitch for the squad in October?”

This was his response: “Japan had an old squad at the last World Cup, so my job is to bring a new squad through.

"You can keep asking me, but I'm telling you, we've got to generate a new generation of rugby players in Japan that can go through the next two World Cups.

"We can't keep re-jigging old players and keeping them in the squad. We need fresh talent in Japan. I apologize if it doesn't suit your philosophy on selection, but if I have to repeat it 100 times, I'll repeat it 100 times.”

He let it all out at once. It was the first time Jones had shown such emotion to the Japanese media since June 11, 2012, when he first took charge of Japan and faced the French Barbarians.

In that match, Japan lost 21-40, and in the post-match press conference, Jones was asked about player selection. “I wanted to develop Japanese players. If my selection was wrong, I’ll resign immediately,” he said in such a fierce manner that the captain sitting next to him had his eyes well up with tears. The scene flashed back during this press conference. His sharp retort, “You don’t like young players?” was a reaction to being hit where it hurts.

“You need a total of 500 caps.”

Jones introduced this standard of evaluating a team by its total number of caps for Japan when he first took over in 2012. The Japan national team’s total caps for the PNC final against Fiji stood at 224. Top teams around the world, like South Africa, often exceed 1,000 caps. While it’s understandable that Jones wants to give experience to new players, key players who started the Fiji match—such as lock Warner Dearns, flanker Amato Fakatava, fly-half Lee Seung-Sin, center Dylan Riley, and winger Tomoki Osada—had all played in last year’s World Cup. It isn't entirely accurate to summarize them all under the term “old squad.”

Every country faces the challenge of transitioning between generations. When Jones first took over in 2012, it took two years before he started rejuvenating the team, giving the captaincy to Michael Leitch. This time, however, he’s obviously in a rush. In the spring and summer campaigns alone, 17 players earned their first Japan caps.

Admittedly, some talented players have emerged. Although not part of the PNC squad, 20-year-old Waseda University sophomore fullback Yoshitaka Yazaki’s running game has reminded many of Kenki Fukuoka, who shone in the 2019 World Cup held in Japan. Fukuoka, too, was selected by Jones at the age of 19. Jones has an eye for spotting young talent like no other.

Still, the current squad cannot be called the strongest Japan has to offer. There are mid-career players in Japan with the skills to be selected for the national team. However, Jones’s ultimate goal of reaching the semi-finals of the 2027 World Cup means that these players are being excluded simply due to their age.

This really doesn't seem like a healthy system for the national team. Japan won their PNC matches against Canada, Samoa, and the United States, but they couldn’t make a dent against Fiji. Jones stated, “Based on results, we're not where we need to be, but based on the effort of the players, we're probably ahead of where I thought we'd be.”

Japan’s next match will be against the All Blacks on October 26 in Yokohama, with Jones remarking, “It's what we've got to do to beat New Zealand now, so that's the only thing I'm focusing on.”

The squad for the autumn campaign will be announced soon. It’s unlikely that university players like Yazaki will be included, as the university rugby season will be in its crucial stages in November.

If more university players are selected for the squad announced next spring, it wouldn’t be surprising given Jones’s recent comments. However, these players won’t be available for the autumn tours in the northern hemisphere, as they’ll still have their university seasons to complete in June, with the World Cup looming the following year. This leaves them only the June home test matches to gain experience.

This season’s League One will start on December 21, the latest start date in history. This delay is to prioritize the Japan national team, who will face England on November 23, and to consider player welfare. Supporting the national team is a key pillar of League One’s mission.

In the post-final press conference, Jones summarized the tournament, saying, “I think the team got stronger under Haru’s (Tatekawa) leadership.”

Tatekawa is now 34 years old and was part of Jones’s squad for the 2015 World Cup but was not included in the squads for 2019 or 2023. Jones, who denies relying on an "old squad," still faces the reality that his cherished disciple from that squad played a key role in developing the team.