The All Blacks coaching saga has taken a surprising turn, with whispers of a desperate late bid by Scott Robertson to bring a key figure back to New Zealand, only for that figure to remain firmly committed elsewhere!
Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown has made it unequivocally clear: his loyalty lies with the South African national team, and he fully intends to honour his contract with them. This comes amidst swirling speculation linking him to a return to the All Blacks following the recent sacking of Scott Robertson.
Rassie Erasmus, the mastermind behind the Springboks' attack, brought the former All Blacks fly-half into his fold after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The impact has been nothing short of transformative for the Green and Gold.
However, the news of Robertson's departure from his All Blacks coaching role inevitably sparked rumors, especially the possibility of Brown rejoining the national team, particularly if Jamie Joseph were to be appointed as the new head coach. But here's where it gets interesting...
Erasmus himself took to social media to quash these rumors, and now Brown has stepped forward to confirm his unwavering commitment to the Springboks. His current contract is set to run until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and he's happy to see it through.
In a recent interview, when asked about his reaction to Robertson's sacking, Brown expressed his surprise at the timing and the apparent lack of a clear forward plan. He admitted that while his name has been circulating, no one has actually approached him about a move back to New Zealand. "I've always just been going back to South Africa to finish my contract, and happily so," he stated.
But here's the part that might surprise you: While his commitment to the Springboks is absolute, Brown openly confessed his long-held desire to coach the All Blacks one day.
Scott Robertson's Late Offer: A Missed Opportunity?
In fact, the 51-year-old revealed that Robertson did indeed make an attempt to lure him back to Aotearoa late last year. This offer might have coincided with Jason Holland's departure from the coaching setup. Brown clarified in an interview that he doesn't have an 'out' clause in his contract with SA Rugby, and he ultimately did not entertain Robertson's offer.
While he's content with his current role, Brown admitted to feeling a sense of frustration that New Zealand Rugby didn't reach out to him two years ago when he left his position with Japan. He emphatically stated that he would have "100% yes" accepted an offer to coach the All Blacks if he hadn't been employed by the Springboks, and that this has been a long-standing ambition.
"I would have two years ago as well, and in the future, it's definitely something I want to do," he said. "Just the timing hasn’t worked. My commitment to South Africa was for four years, and I’ve always had the plan to honour that commitment."
He further elaborated, "Yeah, it’s very frustrating [that timing hasn’t worked out]. I’ve even talked to Razor a couple of months ago about potentially joining the All Blacks, but it’s like I said to him, my commitment to South Africa was four years, and I’ve always wanted to honour that. And I said, I’m just so frustrated that no one talked to me two years ago. But that’s rugby, that’s coaching, and he had his coaches, and I just had to go and find another job."
Frustration with New Zealand Rugby's Process
When Ian Foster announced he wouldn't be reapplying for his role after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Robertson and Joseph emerged as the primary candidates. As part of their application, both coaches were tasked with assembling a potential backroom team. Brown was on Joseph's shortlist, having previously worked together at the Highlanders and with the Japanese national team.
When asked if New Zealand Rugby should have sounded him out about his interest at the time they decided to back Robertson, Brown offered a thoughtful perspective: "Who knows? It was definitely the Scott Robertson team versus Jamie Joseph’s team. That’s the process that New Zealand Rugby set up. So I think, with me being with Jamie, Scott potentially didn’t want to take me as well. He had quality coaches, including Jason Holland, Leon MacDonald, Scott Hansen, and Jason Ryan, so they had a strong coaching team. Jamie put his team together, and I was part of that. The New Zealand Rugby Union went with Scott, who probably deserved the job with his success. So it was just the way it was."
Rassie's Call: A Fortunate Turn of Events?
This situation left Brown exploring his options, and when Rassie Erasmus extended an offer, it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. "Then I was stuck, either looking at going back to Japan, and there’s a little opportunity with Argentina, and then Rassie gave me a call around South Africa. I played under Rassie for the Stormers and knew him as a coach," he explained. "He’d obviously done some amazing things over the last two World Cups, and I just thought, ‘Wow, what an opportunity to learn from him.’"
So, what do you think? Should New Zealand Rugby have been more proactive in securing Tony Brown's services earlier? Or is his current commitment to the Springboks the right call? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
