Japan's Super Rugby plans increasingly shaky as key figure plots move to Stormers

Will Japanese fans have a Super Rugby team to support next season? Photo / File

Is the much-vaunted expansion of Super Rugby still happening next season? For all the flag-waving and trumpet-blowing about the expansion to 18 teams and the virtues of another conference system, there has been an awkward silence about the plans, especially one in Japan.

The expansion details were announced last November. Since then there have been no announcements about player signings, no significant names to pin to the playing roster and nothing about the coaching staff.

Even more disconcerting was the revelation this week that Eddie Jones, seen as the man likely to mastermind much of the planning if not coaching for the Japanese team, is now being linked to the Stormers' vacant coaching job in next year's series.

The Stormers need a new coach after Allister Coetzee and his assistant Matthew Proudfoot took up posts in Japan and the franchise made it clear they wanted a head coach who understands the rigours of the competition and is very experienced.

Jones is open to suggestions apparently and confirmed this week he has been talking to the Stormers "but that's the extent of it".

If Jones is discussing the Stormers job then it would seem clear he is looking for something else to stir his rugby mind rather than coaching a start-up collection of rejects and locals who will go through all sorts of teething troubles in their first year and beyond. Jones will be on a serious wedge in Japan with his club work and advisory position with the international side but the prospect of working with a foundation Super Rugby squad with strong resources from a solid base in Cape Town will have more upsides.

Jones is in the final year of his club contract in Japan and is looking at a range of options including a two-year deal with the Stormers.

"Players and coaches sign contracts and do everything they can until the contract comes to an end. But you need to look elsewhere when your contract is coming to an end. That's professional rugby," he said.

Local reports are more definite and believe Jones will be unveiled next week as the Stormers coach while still retaining his coaching links to Japan who will host the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Jones claimed a Super Rugby title with the Brumbies in 2001, then coached the Wallabies, Saracens and the Reds before joining the Springboks as an assistant to Jake White in 2007 when they won the World Cup.

If Jones does scarper to Cape Town, the arrangements for the Japanese Super Rugby side and quality of their roster look worrisome. It is hard enough for an established side like the Blues to attract calibre players and they are a foundation club with three titles.