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Jamie Joseph to step down as Japan head coach
By AAP
Jamie Joseph will step down as Japan head coach after this year's Rugby World Cup in France. The 53-year-old took over in 2016 and extended his contract three years later after leading the 'Brave Blossoms' to the 2019 World Cup quarter-finals for the first time on home soil.
"My time in Japan was very good, and I think it's a good time to leave," Kyodo News Agency quoted him as saying on Wednesday at the team's training camp in Miyazaki, southern Japan.
"It's good for my family."
Joseph was one of the candidates to become All Blacks head coach but lost out to Scott Robertson.
He also coached the Highlanders for six seasons in his native New Zealand, guiding them to their sole Super Rugby title in 2015.
During his playing career, Joseph represented New Zealand at the 1995 World Cup and Japan at the 1999 tournament.
Japan are in Pool D with England, Argentina, Samoa and Chile at the World Cup, which runs from September 8 to October 28.
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Latest Comments
we don't often agree OJohn but in this case it is hard not too.
Go to commentsNeed is a strong word, they can simply do it by changing personal.
If they want to maximise their potential I think they need both an attack and defence coach, it's not the skills of a backs coach thats missing but the creativity of a Tony Brown, an attack coach. AB defence was better than attack but I still think a real pro is going to be needed to take it to the next level. I can see the current team adding little things to improve it by brain struggles to see a leap where the whole team is attacking rather than just DMac without a restructure.
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