Japan head coach Jamie Joseph reveals why he turned down chance at All Blacks role
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph has revealed the reason behind his decision to turn down a position with the All Blacks in favour of sticking with the Brave Blossoms.
Joseph has returned from Japan to his family in New Zealand as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc worldwide, five months after he rejected the opportunity to join the All Blacks' coaching race.
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Both he and long-term assistant coach Tony Brown were contenders to join the All Blacks' coaching staff after incumbent head coach Steve Hansen left the post following his side's semi-final defeat to England at the World Cup in Japan last year.
At that same World Cup, Joseph and Brown led Japan to their most successful campaign ever, winning all four of their pool games - including upset victories over Ireland and Scotland - to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
The Brave Blossoms' overwhelming success and compelling style of play caught the eye of many worldwide, with 54 million people in Japan alone tuning in to watch their 28-21 shock win against Scotland.
Joseph and Brown were credited with the tier two nation's remarkable rise to final eight of the global tournament, and were considered frontrunners alongside the likes of Ian Foster, Scott Robertson and Dave Rennie to succeed Hansen.
However, Joseph declined an invitation sent out by New Zealand Rugby to apply for the All Blacks role in November, instead signing a contract extension with the Japan Rugby Football Union through until the 2023 World Cup in France.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times from his Dunedin home, Joseph revealed that his loyalty to Japan was what ultimately kept him and Brown at the helm of the Brave Blossoms.
“The decision was really difficult," he said. "In hindsight, I feel that the landscape for coaches overseas has really changed, there’s a lot of New Zealand coaches that are coaching all over the world, and the process in New Zealand didn’t really allow me to consider it seriously enough.
“What I mean by that is, applying for a job and applying for a job at the same time you’re applying for another job doesn’t show much loyalty.
“I guess one of those values that we [Joseph and Tony Brown] learned at Otago back in the day when we were coming up through the ranks was loyalty is a big factor, just because it is professional, for me it’s really important."
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The past don't matter. The past can't save you. Past results can't save you. The players from more than 2 decades ago doesn't play anymore. None of anything in the past will make any difference. Getting hyped about the past is a fake happiness. SR has become weak. It's busy dying as a competition. The AB's used to be scary. Not anymore. Despite your stink attitude, we Saffas still support our SH neighbours over the NH teams.
Go to commentsNot much can be done in the Aviva, but if he gestured to the crowd again there would have been a pretty serious negative response and I am pretty sure he would have got the ban he should have got in Paris (same rule break as Sexton).
Again he showed cowardice by waiting til he was safe before abusing Ireland.
NZ supporters are cult members who will never say wrong about an all black whether a coward like Ioane or the wife beaters on the team.
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