Autumn Nations Series: Ireland v Japan Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 8 November Kick-off: 12:40 GMT Coverage: BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds; live text on the BBC Sport website and app
When Eddie Jones speaks about rugby people tend to listen. From his shock-led run with Japan in 2015 to his trophy-strewn but turbulent time with England and two spells in charge of Australia, Jones has three decades of coaching experience and strong opinions about the game's future.
Speaking on the Ireland Rugby Social podcast ahead of Japan's trip to Dublin, Jones laid out a sweeping diagnosis and a set of remedies he believes are needed to protect and grow the sport. At the heart of his argument is money, calendar congestion and a need to make the product more attractive to modern sports fans.
Jones says the professional era has reached a tipping point: more international windows, more Tests and higher player pay are squeezing the domestic game. If international commitments expand to roughly 22 weeks, he asks, how can domestic competitions remain strong across the remaining year? His preferred solution is a major realignment: smaller, synchronized d
