Jones Hopes Wales Are 'burdened' By Home Record

Japan caput coach Eddie Jones is hoping Wales not winning astatine location for much than 2 years will go a load for Steve Tandy's broadside connected Saturday.

Wales person suffered a grounds tally of 10 location defeats astatine nan Principality Stadium, pinch their astir caller triumph successful Cardiff coming against England successful a World Cup warm-up lucifer successful August 2023.

After a record 52-28 conclusion against Argentina past weekend, Japan get successful Cardiff presenting Wales pinch nan astir realistic chance of a location triumph successful November pinch New Zealand and South Africa still to sojourn this month.

Jones and Japan are hoping to spoil immoderate Welsh dream of conquering their location issues.

"The unit of not winning for 2 years astatine location will beryllium felt by nan squad [Wales]," said 65-year-old Jones.

"Sometimes that tin beryllium an advantage and sometimes it tin beryllium a burden. It's our occupation to make judge it's a burden."

Jones has plentifulness of acquisition of visiting nan Principality Stadium arsenic an opposing caput coach though his grounds successful Cardiff is mixed, pinch 2 wins successful six Tests during his erstwhile stints pinch England and Australia.

"It is 1 of nan awesome stadiums successful nan world," said Jones.

"How adjacent nan stadium is to nan metropolis is 1 of nan ground's attractions.

"Spectators person a bully clip during nan afternoon, rotation into nan stadium and are afloat of life and vigour."

The Principality Stadium tile will again beryllium closed for nan game.

"It is an electrical atmosphere," said Jones.

"We person not had nan statement astir whether nan tile is unfastened aliases closed which was nan ongoing rumor successful England and Wales weeks. We cognize it is closed and that intensifies nan atmosphere.

"For our young team, we're looking guardant to playing there, experiencing that environment, and astatine times, hostility of nan crowd.

"They are nan games you want to play in, to study really to header and triumph successful those situations."

Japan person only beaten Wales twice, pinch Jones astatine nan helm for some location wins successful 2013 and 2025.

Contrastingly, Japan person ne'er won successful Wales, losing each of their erstwhile 5 visits by an mean separator of 51 points.

The Brave Blossoms' only erstwhile triumph against a Tier 1 federation successful nan master era extracurricular of Japan, was nan daze 2015 World Cup excavation triumph complete South Africa successful September 2015 successful Brighton, again masterminded by Jones.

Backing this up much than a decade later by beating Wales this play would correspond a awesome measurement guardant for nan existent Japan team.

Following a disastrous stint pinch Australia, Jones returned to lead Japan aft nan 2023 World Cup and has slow seen an betterment successful a young side.

"We had a very young squad past year," said Jones.

"This is our 2nd twelvemonth and you tin spot much consistency. We're starting to get a bully guidelines of players and nan squad is processing its ain chemistry and cohesion.

"We are connected nan correct trajectory, and erstwhile you consciousness for illustration that, you request different boost, which is simply a triumph against a large team.

"Wales presents that opportunity connected Saturday."

This crippled will beryllium an unofficial 2025 decider aft nan 1-1draw successful nan summertime bid betwixt nan 2 nations. Wales are classed 12th successful nan world and Japan 1 spot beneath them.

Wales person mislaid 19 of their past 20 Tests, pinch nan only objection being a 31-22 triumph against Japan successful July successful Kobe successful nan 2nd international.

That ended a grounds streak of 18 consecutive world defeats and levelled nan summertime bid aft nan hosts won 24-19 successful nan opening crippled successful Kitakyushu.

Wales person since appointed caller caput coach Steve Tandy, pinch Jones expecting immoderate subtle differences.

"It is our 3rd crippled against them this twelvemonth truthful we cognize each different beautiful well," said Jones.

"The onslaught accuracy looks nan aforesaid because nan coach [Matt Sherratt] has not changed, truthful they person immoderate consistency.

"Steve is known for nan measurement his squad defends. He likes a connected defence, likes to choke successful nan tackle, truthful that will beryllium different from nan summer."

Japan person suffered defeats against Australia, South Africa and Ireland during their autumn matches earlier travelling to Wales. They decorativeness their twelvemonth by facing Georgia successful Tbilisi connected 22 November.

"Wales is our 4th crippled of this circuit and I consciousness arsenic if each week we are getting better," said Jones.

"We are successful a bully spot to play Wales."