New forwards coach Borthwick a massive boost for Japan, says Eddie Jones
Former England skipper Steve Borthwick’s appointment as Japan’s new forwards coach will give the Asian champions a huge boost at next year’s Rugby World Cup, head coach Eddie Jones said on Tuesday.
Former England skipper Steve Borthwick’s appointment as Japan’s new forwards coach will give the Asian champions a huge boost at next year’s Rugby World Cup, head coach Eddie Jones said on Tuesday.
“He’s a fantastic acquisition for us,” said Jones, whose “Brave Blossoms” secured their place at the 2015 tournament in England by finishing top of the ARFU Asian Five Nations following their 49-8 victory over Hong Kong on Sunday.
[Borthwick] has already got a good rapport with the Japan players so he’s really going to be an advantage to our coaching team
Borthwick will become part of the coaching team that includes Leigh Jones, who quit Hong Kong and became the Japan defence coach immediately after Sunday’s A5N match in Tokyo.
Borthwick, who was capped 57 times by his country, is set to end his 16-year playing career when he leads London club Saracens out in their English Premiership final against Northampton at Twickenham on Saturday.
“He’s a guy who’s played over 300 Premiership games, captained England 21 times and he’s just retiring from the game, so he brings all this modern knowledge of how to win the line-out and general forward play,” said Jones.
“He’ll really help raise the level of our line-out particularly.”
