Jones suspended as Japan boss for next four games
Former England boss Eddie Jones is fined and suspended as head coach of Japan for abusing match officials during an under-23 tour of Australia last month.
www.bbc.comHere’s the latest I can share on Eddie Jones and Japan rugby suspension as of May 13, 2026.
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Eddie Jones has been suspended from his role as Japan head coach for six weeks and has had his salary reduced, after findings of verbal abuse directed at match officials during Japan Under-23 fixtures in Australia in April 2026. He will miss Japan’s Nations Championship opener against Italy on July 4, 2026, and several other scheduled matches during the suspension period. Sources reporting the action include BBC Sport, The Independent, Sky Sports, Reuters, and others published on May 12–13, 2026.[2][4][5][10]
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The disciplinary measure was issued by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) citing violations of ethics and disciplinary regulations. Jones accepted the decision and apologized, stating he deeply regrets his comments and will strive to ensure it does not happen again.[4][8][2]
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The four affected matches during his suspension include games against a Hong Kong select side and the Maori All Blacks, in addition to the Nations Championship opener vs Italy. He is expected to be eligible to return to duties after the suspension period and rejoin Japan for their fixtures later in July 2026.[6][8][4]
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This incident follows Jones’s return to Japan in 2024; the current matter is unrelated to his earlier coaching tenure with England or Australia, though it adds to ongoing scrutiny of his coaching tenure with the Brave Blossoms.[9][4]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent updates and summarize any official JRFU statements or quotes from Jones in a brief timeline. Also, I can provide a quick comparison of the reported penalties (duration of ban, salary reduction) across sources if that helps.[2][4]