Japan has a yen for paying the price

LONDON - Japan is playing England this weekend for the first time since the so-called amateur era.

And being paid like it.

Coach Jamie Joseph said his players receive less than $18 a day on tour.

Meanwhile, England's players will receive $32,000 each after Saturday's Twickenham Test in their first matchup since the 1987 World Cup.

"Our home-based players are amateurs, they are employees of companies, and receive 2,000 yen a day," Joseph said on Monday.

"To be here and play a team like England is a great opportunity for a footy team and a footy player.

"Our professional players, the foreign-based players, don't get paid for playing for Japan. If you put that all together, we have got different motivators and we just want to get out and leave our footprint behind."

Japan will be covered in footprints if England coach Eddie Jones has his way.

Joseph laughed off advice from his predecessor Jones that Japan should seek divine intervention for the Test against England.

Jones warned Japan that England will be "absolutely ruthless" at Twickenham, eager to "physically smash" the Japanese in response to losing 16-15 to New Zealand last weekend.

Jones, who coached Japan from 2012-15, quipped that Japan find a temple and "pray, pray, pray," but Joseph wasn't fazed.

Joseph said he won't be going to any temples, but will be praying for a game without rain.

"In tough conditions it's tough to get our game going, so we're hoping and praying for a bit of (good) weather," said the former All Blacks flanker.

"When we've got the ball and guys are really excited about playing, we've got a different style of play; we're not as big as others, but we're quick."

The Japan squad watched the England-New Zealand Test last Saturday, while Joseph was in the stands at Twickenham, where the 48-year-old enjoyed the cut and thrust in the rain.

"Those types of games are exactly what rugby's all about in my view," he said.

"But I suspect the game that we play, how the All Blacks play, and the fact England have had a few matches, it could be a little bit different this weekend.

"We don't want rain come kickoff time, and we've shown over the last couple of years if we can get our game going we can push teams hard."

England outscored New Zealand two tries to one and had a hotly disputed late touchdown harshly ruled out for offside.

Reflecting on the host's performance, Joseph said: "You could say they were unlucky against the All Blacks.

"But my focus really is just to go out there and make sure we can do our very best against a very good England side."

Japan is looking to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time next year, having produced the biggest upset in rugby-union history at the tournament's 2015 edition in England, when, with Jones at the helm, it beat South Africa 34-32.

"We're getting a lot of experience and I think we are on track for the World Cup," said Joseph.

Agencies