Japan Warn ‘bully’ Jones
We’ve been bullied a lot by Eddie. We’d like to give it back by beating England, as a sign of gratitude-Michael Leitch Go to the temple and pray, we want to smash themEddie Jones Our focus is to go out there and be our very best-Jamie Joseph
The Japan players that Eddie Jones has told England to “physically smash” this Sunday, are on a daily tour allowance of £13.66.
Brave Blossoms coach Jamie Joseph made the startling revelation as he prepared his team to go against their former coach. “Our (home-based) guys here are amateur, they are employees of companies and are getting 2000 Yen a day,” said Joseph, a former All Black. “And the foreigners we have in our team don’t get paid for playing for Japan.
“So we have got different motivators for this game. We just want to get out and leave our footprint behind.”
England, by contrast, receive a £25,000 match fee - making them the best paid team in world rugby.
They are also a side on a mission after Jones reportedly took offence to comments said to have been made by Japan captain Michael Leitch.
Leitch, one of the surviving heroes from Japan’s sensational defeat of South Africa at the 2015 World Cup in Brighton, was quoted as saying: “We’ve been bullied a lot by Eddie. We’d like to give it back by beating England, as a sign go gratitude.”
Jones’ response, in the aftermath of his team’s agonising defeat to New Zealand, was to advise his old team to “go to the temple and pray”.
He added: “We’re going to be absolutely ruthless. If I was Japan I’d be worried. We want to smash them, physically smash them.”
Joseph refused to rise to the bait, claiming not to have read his counterpart’s comments. He said: “One to 15 England are pretty big compared to our blokes but our focus is to go out there and be our very best.
“We like to play quick as we’re not as big as other sides, so we’re hoping and praying for a bit of weather. I’m not sure I’m going to the temple though!”
Asked if they could repeat their shock win over the Springboks, Joseph replied: “Well we’re working towards that, yeah, but we’re missing four or five key players that would have added a bit of steel and experience to our team.”
He stressed that his players revered Jones for what they had achieved together three years ago - putting Japanese rugby on the map to the extent that a film is being made of their Brighton ‘miracle’. “They were part of a team that achieved something that Japanese rugby has never done,” said the Kiwi. “So obviously there will be a lot of respect for him.”