Rassie Erasmus has thrown his support behind Eddie Jones after the Japan head coach once again sparked debate with his blunt take on rugby politics, with the Springboks boss praising his rival’s “honesty and no fear mentality”. The exchange has added another layer to one of the sport’s most familiar modern rivalries, and it comes at a time when the shape of global rugby is under the microscope again.
Jones and Erasmus have never been shy of a scrap, whether on the sidelines, in the media, or across the increasingly political landscape of international rugby. Their history stretches back to Jones’ time with England and later Australia, with the pair also going head-to-head in the November Test series last year. Both men are known for speaking plainly, and neither tends to soften their opinions for public consumption.
That was on full display when Jones reacted to the decision to shift one of Japan’s home Nations Championship fixtures away from Tokyo and into Australia. The match, which should have been played on home soil, is now set for New South Wales, leaving the Brave Blossoms with a major travel burden for a game that carries the label of “home” in name only. For many rugby fans, it has become another example of how scheduling power often sits far from the teams most affected by it.
Erasmus chose not to criticise Jones for speaking out. Instead, the South African coach used X, formerly Twitter, to applaud the Australian’s approach. In a brief post, Erasmus wrote: “We don’t always agree, but really admire this honesty and no fear mentality,” adding a handshake emoji and an image of the Japan boss. It was a small gesture, but one that carried weight given the pair’s long-running competitive relationship.
Jones, for his part, did not hold back when discussing the relocation. Speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, the former England head coach argued that the move reflected broader power dynamics in world rugby, with stronger unions able to influence arrangements to suit themselves. His frustration was clear as he explained why the fixture had been moved away from Tokyo and into Australia.
“You know why we’re playing Ireland in Newcastle, right? Ireland have all the power at World Rugby, so we have to play our home game, which should be in Tokyo, in Australia to make sure Ireland don’t have to travel too much,” Jones said. “Let’s be frank about this. We just have to suck it up and that’s what happens when you’re not a major political power at the table.”
The comments cut to a long-running issue in the game: who really gets to shape the international calendar, and who gets left to absorb the consequences. For teams outside the traditional power centres, the answer often seems obvious. The Nations Championship was designed to bring together the leading sides from the Six Nations and Rugby Championship, but the inclusion of Japan and Fiji was meant to broaden the competition’s southern footprint, even though Japan is geographically in the north. In theory, that made the tournament more global. In practice, it appears to have created fresh compromises for the smaller unions.
Eddie Jones backs Japan head coach as Nations Championship row exposes rugby power imbalance
The Eddie Jones comments quickly gained traction because they touched on a sensitive truth many in the game would rather avoid: the elite tier of rugby still tends to protect its own. In a sport that talks constantly about growth, inclusion and global reach, the logistics often tell a different story. Home games are moved, travel is shifted, and the most commercially attractive nations frequently end up with the most convenient arrangements.
Jones suggested that the discussions behind the scenes were not especially mysterious. According to him, the stronger unions were simply unwilling to put themselves through additional travel, and that pressure shapes the final outcome. He claimed the message from Ireland was effectively, “we’re not going from New Zealand to Japan and then back to Australia,” which, in his view, left Japan with little choice but to accept the altered plan.
He also made it clear that Japan’s participation in the competition comes with strings attached. “Japan, you want to be in the Nations Cup? Yes, of course we do, but you’ve got to use one of your home games to play in Australia,” Jones said. “It’s simple mate, it’s not complicated.” It was classic Jones: direct, unsparing, and designed to provoke a reaction.
The situation has not only affected Japan. Fiji have also been forced to absorb major disruption, with their entire schedule reportedly shifted to Britain rather than being staged on the Pacific island nation. That has intensified concerns that while the competition is being sold as a step forward for world rugby, some of the so-called participating nations are carrying a disproportionate share of the inconvenience.
For South African rugby followers, the debate is familiar. The Springboks have long understood the value of political leverage in the game, especially in matters of travel, broadcast windows and fixture design. Erasmus’ public support for Jones may not mean agreement on every issue, but it does reflect a shared appreciation for straight talk in a sport that often hides behind polished statements.
As we reported earlier, Erasmus has never been one to back away from difficult conversations, and this latest post fits his wider public persona. He tends to reward candour, especially when it highlights problems that exist well beyond one team or one tournament. In this case, the issue is not simply about Japan or Ireland. It is about how rugby treats teams outside the inner circle when commercial and competitive priorities collide.
Jones, meanwhile, has once again used his platform to challenge the sport’s structures rather than just the opposition on the field. Whether fans agree with his views or not, there is no denying that he has opened a conversation that rugby leaders would probably prefer stayed quiet. And with the Nations Championship still being shaped, these kinds of rows are likely to keep surfacing.
For now, the sight of Rassie Erasmus backing Eddie Jones serves as a reminder that even fierce rivals can find common ground when the issue is bigger than selection, tactics or results. In this case, the shared message is clear: if rugby wants to call itself global, it may need to make sure the smaller voices are not always the ones forced to travel furthest.