Eddie Jones Uses Videos of Geese Flying in Formation to Coach Japan Rugby

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has revealed an unusual but effective coaching method: showing his players videos of geese flying in V-formation to teach the principles of support play. Japan face Australia in Townsville on Saturday (06:15 BST) in the second Test of their two-match series, having lost the first game 35-32 to the Wallabies in Osaka last weekend. Jones said Japan's support play was not sharp enough in that opener, prompting him to turn to nature for inspiration. "The reason we watch videos of geese is that the head of the flock is like the ball-carrier," the Australian coach explained. "The ball carrier is king, and then everyone else has got to follow after that. The geese fly hundreds, thousands of miles in formation and they follow the one goose in front, and it's the responsibility of the support players to respond to what the ball-carrier does." Jones has made five changes for the second Test, including picking university student Yoshitaka Yazaki on the wing and handing Shunsuke Uenobo his first start at centre. Australia sealed their first win under new head coach Les Kiss in the series opener, overcoming an early red card for Miles Amatosero. Jones is not alone in using geese as a coaching tool. During his 26-year tenure at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson regularly stopped training sessions to point out geese flying overhead in perfect V-formation, using the natural spectacle to inspire collective effort and teamwork in his players.