TOKYO: Japan coach Eddie Jones has confirmed he will step down after the rugby World Cup and not take on a permanent role with the country's new Super Rugby franchise.
The former Australia coach told Japanese news agency Kyodo that his contract would not be renewed when it expires at the end of the year.
"The (Japan Rugby Football) Union are going to announce this afternoon that I will not be continuing after 2015," Kyodo quoted him as saying on Tuesday.
"That was always the case as my contract was until the end of the year, so all they are doing is stating the obvious.
"People assumed that as I had been named the director of the new Super Rugby side I would stay on. But that was just an administrative role not a coaching role. All I was doing was help get it set up."
The 55-year-old confirmed last week that he was "chatting" with the Cape Town-based Stormers about coaching options but denied South African media reports that he had already signed a two-year deal with the Super Rugby club.
Jones, who guided Australia to the final of the 2003 World Cup, took over from John Kirwan as coach of the 'Brave Blossoms' in 2012 after success at club level in Japan's Top League.
"I have coached for 20 years, and coached the Wallabies for five years. And with hindsight I should have left after four," Jones said.
"Four years is enough for an international coach and I have put a lot into this. It's been one of the hardest jobs I have done.
"My focus was always to change Japanese rugby history and ensure Japan was a serious rugby nation by the time I left."
Japan will host the next World Cup in 2019.
"The decision doesn't change anything we have done or are going to do," added Jones.
"The players aren't thinking past the World Cup. We are just focussed on what we have to do.
"And by making the decision now, it's a great opportunity for the JRFU to find a new person with a new perspective and new ideas so he can build a team towards 2019."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
- Reuters