Japan want ‘the sky to fall in’ at Twickenham – Jones

Japan head coach Eddie Jones says his team will try to unsettle England and its supporters at Twickenham on Saturday, drawing inspiration from Italy’s landmark win earlier this year. He sees England’s intense media scrutiny as a possible source of pressure, while acknowledging that Steve Borthwick is an outstanding coach.

Japan have lost all six of their Tests against England, including a 54-19 defeat in 2023. England recently ended a five-match losing run with a 45-22 win over Australia, easing pressure on Borthwick ahead of a match against New Zealand on 21 November. Jones also played down the significance of Henry Pollock’s recent try-scoring, while Japan’s first-choice fly-half Ryunosuke Ito is unavailable as he fulfils university rugby commitments.