Eddie Jones is fluent in Japanese.GETTY IMAGES
England's rugby players were instructed to take Japanese lessons in order to minimize the "cultural stress" of playing in next year's World Cup in Japan, according to Gavin Mairs of the London TELEGRAPH. The news comes with confirmation that England will also undertake a two-test tour of Japan in '20 "as part of the new global season arrangements." England's coaching staff, who just returned from a 10-day coaching and familiarization trip to Japan, "have already begun their preparations, undertaking their first Japanese lesson last week." England head coach Eddie Jones, who is fluent in Japanese, also wants his players to undergo lessons. Jones said, "All of the staff had Japanese lessons last Tuesday. We've got another one in a couple of weeks; they haven't been tested yet!" Confirmation of England's tour to Japan in '20 came from Premiership Rugby CEO Mark McCafferty, who said Premiership clubs "negotiated for a shortened developmental tour to protect player welfare." Details of the new domestic season from '19 are expected to be confirmed "by the end of the month," with McCafferty arguing that England's int'l fixture list "should be limited" to eight tests a season outside of World Cup and Lions years. The Premiership clubs will meet on Tuesday to discuss "several investment options," including a £275M ($355M) bid from capital investment firm CVC Capital Partners to take a 50% stake in the league (TELEGRAPH, 9/8).
