How an RA complaint to Japan led to Eddie Jones being suspended for referee abuse

Footage of Eddie Jones pacing the sidelines and abusing a young referee in Coffs Harbour has emerged after a complaint from Rugby Australia led to the former Wallabies coach being suspended for six weeks by the Japanese Rugby Football Union.

Jones was suspended for four matches and fined by the JRFU for his behaviour towards match officials during a Japan under-23 tour of Australia last month.

The JRFU handed down a six-week suspension and fined Jones more than $10,000 over what it described as “verbal abuse directed at local match officials”.

In a statement, Jones said he regretted his behaviour and apologised, but informed sources not authorised to comment publicly, said the 66-year-old was stunned by the severity of the punishment.

Jones will miss Japan’s opening Test of the Nations Championship tournament against Italy on July 4, and will also miss two matches against Hong Kong on May 22 and 29, as well as a Japan XV fixture against the Maori All Blacks on June 27.

His return to coaching duties will come on Australian soil when Japan face Ireland in Newcastle on July 11, before a two-Test series against the Wallabies in August under new coach Les Kiss.

Against the backdrop of an already strained relationship with the former Wallabies coach, the fixtures loom as even frostier given RA’s role in the sanction handed down by the JRFU.

This masthead can reveal RA sent a letter of complaint to their Japanese counterparts following abusive behaviour by Jones towards match officials throughout the Japanese under 23 side’s recent four-game tour.

The Japanese development side played three games in the Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby last month – against the Australian under-20s in Coffs Harbour, the Fiji under-20s in Grafton and the Australian Stockmen side in Kempsey. There was a fourth game against Jones’ old club Randwick, at Coogee Oval.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the matter, who declined to comment publicly, said Jones’ pattern of behaviour across the tour included repeatedly remonstrating with and questioning match officials while positioned on the sidelines with his side’s reserves.

Coaches are generally prohibited from leaving a small “technical area” near the reserves bench but, with the matches staged at regional venues and staffed by NSW Rugby and local volunteers, those zones were not strictly policed. Jones’ comments towards referees were often made while moving along the sideline.

The most clear example was seen during Japan’s loss to the Australia’s under-20s in Coffs Harbour, when the game broadcast showed Jones walking down to the corner and remonstrating with young referee Todd Cummings for a lengthy period after Angus Grover scored before half-time.

Aware of issues in the previous games, the technical zone was policed in Japan’s last game against Randwick, but Jones sat in the stands at Coogee Oval.

Informed sources said Jones’ behaviour towards referees was noted several times in post-game reports by officials, and the issue was escalated to RA, who then sent off a letter expressing their concerns to the JRFU after the tour had finished.

In a statement provided by the JRFU, Jones said: “I accept the disciplinary action of the JRFU relating to the U23 Japan national team tour of Australia.

“Some inappropriate remarks that I made caused discomfort to local match officials and other related parties.

“I would like to offer my sincere apologies to everyone involved. I deeply regret my behaviour and words and will make every effort to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Jones resigned as Wallabies coach after Australia’s disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign, where they were knocked out in the pool stages for the first time.

It followed this masthead’s revelation during the tournament that Jones took part in a secret interview with JRFU officials on the eve of the World Cup despite having four years remaining on his RA contract.

At the time, RA chief executive Phil Waugh refused to ask the JRFU whether they were trying to poach the Wallabies coach despite both countries signing an historic memorandum of understanding in July 2023 aimed at building a “stronger relationship between the two unions”.

Jones was reappointed as Japan coach in late 2023 – after denying links to the role more than a dozen times – and has enjoyed mixed results since returning to the role.

The JRFU’s strong sanction raises further questions about Jones’ future with the Japan national side.

Jones’ ongoing position as head coach was reviewed by the JRFU at the end of the 2025 season, but
chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi said after an executive board meeting in December that there had been “various discussions” before deciding to back the Australian.

“We confirmed that we will continue to support the current structure,” Iwabuchi said. “We will support them so that they can move towards the World Cup in a good way.”

This masthead understands the JRFU is also dealing with significant financial pressures, and there is no certainty Jones will be the head coach at next year’s World Cup in Australia.