Eddie Jones vows Japan will ‘play the house down’ in matchup with England

Japan head coach Eddie Jones watches the captain's run before his team's match against England in London on Friday. | REUTERS

AFP-Jiji

Nov 14, 2026

London – Eddie Jones returns to Twickenham on Saturday promising his youthful Japan side will “play the house down” as it goes in search of a huge upset against England, the team he led to a World Cup final.

Japan, which suffered a narrow 28-21 defeat against Wales in its November Nations Championship opener in Cardiff last week, has lost all six of its previous tests against England.

But veteran Australian coach Jones oversaw one of rugby union’s greatest upsets in his first spell with Japan when the Brave Blossoms beat South Africa at the 2015 World Cup in England, and he is now plotting another shock success.

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