England face a reunion with Eddie Jones as they begin their latest summer tour in Tokyo today. It is the first time since his sacking in December 2022 that the Red Rose men have come up against their former boss, who has returned for a second stint in charge of Japan after a disastrous spell back with Australia that culminated in their World Cup embarrassment.
A strong England side will be expected to produce a commanding win to lift the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup in the hot and humid conditions at Japan’s National Stadium as they warm up for rugby’s ultimate challenge in the form of next month’s two-Test trip to face the All Blacks in New Zealand. Steve Borthwick will hope to continue some momentum after a shock run to the World Cup semi-finals was followed by an improved Six Nations showing earlier in the year.
Marcus Smith controls the attack from fly-half with Owen Farrell and George Ford absent, with Chandler Cunningham-South handed his first Test start. Jones has opted for a youthful and inexperienced Brave Blossoms team that includes a shock debut for university student Yoshitaka Yazaki. Follow Japan vs England live below!
Japan vs England latest news
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Kick-off time: 6.50am BST, Japan National Stadium
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How to watch: RugbyPass TV
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England team news: Marcus Smith starts at fly-half
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Japan team news: Yoshitaka Yazaki gets shock debut
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Japan vs England lineups
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Score prediction
Marcus Smith has golden England chance but long season takes toll
06:16 , George Flood
Marcus Smith will be buoyed by his biggest England chance yet against Japan on Saturday, only to be weighed down by his punishing 13-month season, writes Nick Purewal.
The Harlequins star has won first refusal on England’s No 10 shirt for the summer, selected ahead of Northampton’s Premiership champion and namesake Fin to face the Brave Blossoms in Tokyo.
The Smiths are England’s charming fly-half men on tour to Japan and New Zealand, with George Ford sidelined through Achilles trouble and Owen Farell’s 112-cap tenure at an end.
Quins’ Smith has waited his whole young career for an opportunity like this, an open invitation to make the England fly-half role his own.
That the 24-year-old must seize his moment on little more than fumes and adrenaline only serves to underscore rugby’s year-round folly.
Atmosphere building in Tokyo
06:08 , George Flood
A great atmosphere building ahead of today’s one-off Test in Tokyo, where England only played at the nearby Ajinomoto Stadium during the last World Cup.
They also played in Sapporo, Kobe, Oita and Yokohama during that memorable campaign.
06:03 , George Flood
Today’s venue looking resplendent in the Tokyo sunshine.
This is England’s first-ever official Test match against the Brave Blossoms on Japanese soil, with today’s game for the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup.
England previously toured Japan in both 1971 and 1979, both those matches did not hold Test status.
Japan also visited England in 1987, 2018 and 2022, while they will come to Twickenham again in the autumn.
England of course also made it to the final of the 2019 World Cup held in Japan, where they were agonisingly edged out by South Africa in a bruising final in Yokohama.
Numbers game doesn’t favour Jones ahead of Borthwick grudge match
05:52 , George Flood
Eddie Jones has always been terrible with numbers; maybe that is why so few of his public statements add up, writes Standard Sport’s rugby correspondent Nick Purewal.
The vastly experienced Australian will launch his second stint with Japan today by sending a callow Brave Blossoms lineup into battle against England in Tokyo.
Jones will be itching to put one over his former protege Steve Borthwick, who succeeded him as England coach and then promptly torched his mentor’s legacy.
Borthwick will be every inch as eager to flex his coaching muscles against a man from whom he learned so much but would emulate only in part.
The master-apprentice narrative could prove compelling, but only if Jones’s inexperienced side can generate a true Test against England’s full-strength lineup.
Amid doubts whether that battle of coaching wills can stack up, several of Jones’s latest claims certainly do not.
Read the match preview in full
Hot and humid conditions in Tokyo set to test England
05:44 , George Flood
England have trained in some pretty heavy-looking rain this week, particularly during yesterday’s captain’s run at the National Stadium, but conditions are set to be very warm and humid indeed in Tokyo today.
The temperature is expected to reach around 30 degrees celsius for what is a 2:50pm kick-off local time.
How they adapt to such heat and humidity could be key to their hopes of delivering a commanding win to kick off their summer tour.
Eddie Jones delivers verdict on Steve Borthwick’s England start
05:32 , George Flood
And what does Eddie Jones make of Twickenham successor Steve Borthwick’s 19-month spell in charge of England so far?
Borthwick previously cut his coaching teeth under Jones of course, working under his leadership with both Japan and England.
“I know that whatever I say to you will end up a headline,” Jones joked this week.
“I think it’s a very good team, an excellent team, with some great selections and I’m really pleased for the squad.
“Look, I think for a young guy he’s doing a great job.
“England’s a high-pressure job, with more scrutiny than probably any other job in the world.
“I think he’s handling that well, reassembling that team and bringing young players through.
“And I think he’s done a really, really good job.”
Eddie Jones: Young Japan team will push England all the way
05:16 , George Flood
Despite selecting such an inexperienced side today, Eddie Jones believes that Japan will take England right to the wire in Tokyo.
But he also engaged in the usual spot of pre-match mind games by claiming that his side were only a matter of days into their new cycle, while England have had three years to build theirs.
Neither time frame strictly rings true…
“We know England are strong, they made the top four in the World Cup,” said Jones.
“They have their traditional strengths, with their strong set-piece and kicking game.
“We are going to take England right to the last moment, I’ve got a really good feeling in my veins.
“We need to change Japanese rugby. We’ve gone for young players because that’s what we need at this time.
“England are three years into a cycle; we’re 10 days into a cycle. So, there’s a gap there.
“But we’ve got no excuse, we’ve prepared really well and we’re going to give it a red-hot go on Saturday.”
Japan vs England lineups
05:07 , George Flood
Japan XV: Yazaki; Naikabula, Riley, Osada, Nezuka; Lee, Saito; Mohara, Harada, Takeuchi; Waqa, Dearns; Leitch (c), Costley, Makisi
Replacements: Sakate, Miura, Tamefusa, Saumaki, Yamamoto, Fujiwara, Matsuda, Tua
England XV: Furbank; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Lawrence, Freeman; M Smith, Mitchell; Rodd, George (c) Cole; Itoje, Martin; Cunningham-South, Underhill, Earl
Replacements: Dan, Marler, Stuart, Ewels, T Curry, Randall, F Smith, Roebuck
Japan vs England prediction
04:56 , George Flood
How England would love to get one over on old boss Eddie Jones today.
This is the first time they have come up against the outspoken Australian since he was sacked by RFU bosses following seven years in charge at Twickenham in December 2022.
After an improved Six Nations and impressive World Cup that busted all expectations that had sunk so low after such a woeful summer, England have to keep evolving and building under Steve Borthwick in another new cycle.
They are missing a lot of experience this summer both in terms of retired players, overseas absentees and injuries, but rugby challenges do not come much tougher than battling the All Blacks in New Zealand and it is essential they have the best possible preparations if they are to spring a shock in the Land of the Long White Cloud next month.
That starts with what has to be a commanding win over a very inexperienced Japan team beginning a new era with Jones back at the helm, provided they cope with what are expected to be extremely hot and humid conditions in Tokyo, where temperatures will be around 30 degrees celsius.
England to win by at least 15 points.
Japan team news
04:54 , George Flood
As he tried with pretty disastrous consequences during his short-lived return to Australia that culminated in their World Cup embarrassment and his subsequent resignation, Eddie Jones has gone for youth for the first match of his second stint in charge of Japan.
He wants to lead a new era of Japanese rugby, handing a shock start at full-back to 20-year-old Waseda University student Yoshitaka Yazaki – who has yet to even make his first-class debut in the sport.
It is a very inexperienced Brave Blossoms team lacking in caps who face a formidable task in Tokyo today, though Jones believes they have what it takes to push England all the way.
From their last game, the 39-27 defeat by Argentina in October that confirmed their pool-stage exit from the World Cup, only captain Michael Leitch, centre Dylan Riley and scrum-half Naoto Saito retain their starting places.
England team news
04:46 , George Flood
England hand a first Test start to Harlequins flanker Chandler Cunningham-South in a strong lineup in Tokyo today.
Marcus Smith has a huge chance to cement himself as Steve Borthwick’s starting fly-half in the continued absence of the France-bound Owen Farrell and the injured George Ford, partnering Alex Mitchell at 9.
Bevan Rodd earns a start in the front row next to captain Jamie George, while George Furbank keeps his place at full-back with no Freddie Steward in the matchday squad.
Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are the wings, with Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade in the centres.
The evergreen Dan Cole earns his 113th England cap at tighthead, with George Martin joining Maro Itoje at lock.
The back row is completed by new vice-skipper Ben Earl and Sam Underhill.
Tom Roebuck is in line to make his Test debut from the bench, with Sale team-mate Tom Curry also set for his first England minutes since the World Cup after making his return from hip surgery that ruled him out of the Six Nations.
Harry Randall has the back-up scrum-half job over Ben Spencer, with Fin Smith covering for namesake Marcus.
Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Will Stuart and Charlie Ewels are also on the bench.
How to watch England vs Japan
04:38 , George Flood
TV channel: Japan vs England will not be available to watch live on television in the UK, the first time in decades that a Red Rose international has not been broadcast on TV on these shores.
Live stream: However, the game is available to watch online via RugbyPass TV – World Rugby’s free online streaming platform.
Viewers will need to create an account before watching along either via their website or in the app, where you can cast to your TV via Chromecast or Airplay.
Highlights and a full replay will be available via RugbyPass TV, while highlights will also be shown on the official England Rugby YouTube channel later on.
Japan vs England live
04:35 , George Flood
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s live coverage of Japan vs England.
Steve Borthwick’s side go up against former boss Eddie Jones for the first time in Tokyo this morning as they kick-off their 2024 summer tour with a one-off clash at the National Stadium, where very hot and humid conditions lie in store.
England will hope to continue some momentum after last year’s awful summer was followed by a surprise trip to the World Cup semi-finals and most improved Six Nations showing.
Most importantly they are preparing for a huge challenge in the form of next month’s two-Test tour against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Kick-off today is at 6:50am BST, so stick with us for match build-up plus all the latest team news, lineups and live updates.
