Rob Howley has been "through hell" since being sent home from the Rugby World Cup in Japan for an alleged breach of betting rules, according to former Wales coach Warren Gatland.
Howley's reign as Wales' assistant coach came to an early end after he was forced to leave before Wales' World Cup campaign began.
The former scrum-half is now awaiting the outcome of a Welsh Rugby Union investigation.
But Gatland, who has worked with Howley for 17 years both with Wasps and Wales, revealed that Howley has been hit hard by the ordeal.
"I spoke to him a couple of days ago and during the World Cup," he told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
"It's been the hardest six or seven weeks of his life, he's been emotionally through absolute hell and there's an investigation that's been going on.
The departing Wales coach, who brought Howley into the Wales set-up 12 years ago, added: "Hopefully in the next couple of weeks there'll be a result from that, but I know emotionally it's been incredibly tough on himself and his family and he's been so apologetic.
"He's felt he's let a lot of people down.
"He's been through a hell of a lot emotionally and it's been tough. The biggest punishment so far for him is he's missed out on being involved in the World Cup.
"It's important in the rugby community we do what we can in terms of supporting as much as possible."
