Monday 8 December 2014 11:19, UK
Japan rugby union coach Eddie Jones has consulted Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola in a bid to change the national team’s fortunes.
Australian Jones, who is hoping to guide the Cherry Blossoms to their first World Cup win in 24 years in England next year, saw his team beaten by Romania and Georgia last month.
In a bid to improve his tactics and planning, Jones spent time with Guardiola, who he regards as the “best soccer coach in the world.”
Jones said: "The main thing we learned this year was that we have to be tactically more flexible. We need to react to situations on the field and make adjustments to the way we play.
"The soccer approach is called tactical periodisation, in which everything is done in preparation for the game and in order to be tactically aware."
He is the best soccer coach in the world and you always want to learn from the best.
Jones said the two sports shared many similarities and that Guardiola, who won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Barcelona before leading Bayern to victory in the Bundesliga in his first season, had been a big help.
"I watched Bayern train and had a really good meeting with the head coach and I really think we can improve greatly with adjustments in the way we train,” he said.
“He is the best soccer coach in the world and you always want to learn from the best.
"Rugby and soccer are very similar in that you always want to move the ball into space and Bayern Munich and his previous team Barcelona played the most fantastic passing game you have ever seen. The principles are exactly the same.
"The very best soccer teams vary their depth and formation in order to make the most of the space. So when you get the chance to learn from the best it's a fantastic opportunity."
Japan have been drawn in Pool B of next year's World Cup along with Samoa, South Africa, Scotland and United States.
Jones says the he needs greater commitment from his squad and more intelligent coaching from his backroom team.
"If we achieve those two things then I think we are well placed to achieve what we set out to do, which is to make the quarter-finals of the rugby World Cup," he said.
Japan’s only World Cup victory came against Zimbabwe in 1991.
