May 13, 2026, 08:59 AM ETEddie Jones has been hit with a six-week ban.\u00a0RICHARD A. BROOKS\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Japan head coach Eddie Jones has been handed a six-week ban and had his salary docked for directing “verbal abuse” towards officials during an under-23s’ tour of Australia last month.<\/p>\n
The 66-year-old former England boss, who is in his second spell with the Brave Blossoms, accepted the disciplinary decision of the Japanese Rugby Football Union and apologised for his “inappropriate” comments.<\/p>\n
Jones said in a statement via the JRFU: “I take this disciplinary action very seriously. At the U23 Japan national-team match held in Australia the other day, my inappropriate remarks caused discomfort to the local match officials and all those involved.<\/p>\n
“I apologise to everyone involved, and I deeply regret my words and actions. I will strive to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”<\/p>\n
The under-23 tour took place from April 1-15, with the JRFU confirming on Wednesday that Jones had been given an unspecified “salary reduction” and six-week suspension, running from April 24 to June 5.<\/p>\n
The ban will see the Australian miss four games, the final one being the Nations Championship opener against Italy in Tokyo on July 4.<\/p>\n