England have confirmed that they will take on Japan in a two-test series in July of 2020 in what will be the first time that the nations have faced off on Japanese soil.
The series has been expected to be announced for a number of weeks but it is now set in stone as head coach Eddie Jones and his troops will head to the Rugby World Cup hosts once again.
Jones, who previously managed the Japanese national side, is delighted that his players will have another chance to visit the Land of the Rising Sun.
“Japan were fantastic Rugby World Cup hosts and we feel humbled to have been a part of it. The England squad had a fantastic experience of the country and we are excited to return in July next year. The Japan national team have shown again how good a side they are with their performances during the World Cup and I know they will provide a great test for us in July,” he said.
Having lost the World Cup final to South Africa it will provide England with a chance to make some fonder memories, while for Japan it is another platform for them to impress against the best around having made it to their first-ever World Cup quarter-final during the tournament and gaining admirers all over the planet for their displays.
The first test is set to be played in Oita, where England saw off the Wallabies during their World Cup quarter-final, while the second test will be played in Kobe, another place where England were victorious, as they defeated the USA in the pool stages.
The two countries have only ever met twice before, once in the inaugural World Cup in 1987 when England hammered the Brave Blossoms 60-7, while the other was a more recent 35-15 win for the English at Twickenham last year.
However, what is certain is that the Japanese are on an upward curve in terms of their rugby development and England will have to be at their best if they are to return home with better memories than this year. Although, if Japan perform as they did in the World Cup once again they will only enhance the debate as to whether they should be included in either the Six Nations or Rugby Championship in the future.
