Rassie Erasmus hails the 'remarkable difference' Tony Brown has made to Boks

Tony Brown has confirmed his All Blacks homecoming and will depart South Africa Rugby in 2027, doing so with Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus’ best wishes.

Brown will finish his four-year stint as Springboks attack coach at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, fulfilling his commitment to the team before returning home.

Whether Brown would see out that SA Rugby contract in full was briefly called into question when major upheaval struck the All Blacks coaching group in January. But, at the time Scott Robertson was ousted, Erasmus was emphatic in reaffirming Brown’s commitment to the Springboks for the duration of his contract, and Brown himself said in no uncertain terms that he remained committed to the Boks.

The attack guru also made no secret of his desire to coach the All Blacks at some point in his career, a sentiment that New Zealand Rugby’s new high performance director, Don Tricker, evidently took as an invitation.

The result is an unusual move by NZR’s standards, signing Brown to a two-year deal while he still has 18 months remaining on his SA Rugby contract. The timing, however, does work out for all parties, with plenty of time to plan for the next Rugby World Cup cycle.

“We are grateful to Tony for his commitment, loyalty and honesty throughout his time with us,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer this week.

“He has made a tremendous contribution to the Springboks and to SA Rugby as a whole since joining us, and we have no doubt that he will continue to give everything he has to help the team maintain the high standards we set for ourselves on the field.”

Erasmus credited Brown’s transparency over the past six months and praised the impact the former All Black 10 has had on the Springbok environment and performances since his arrival.

“Tony has made a remarkable difference, both on and off the field, and he has always been upfront with us about wanting to be closer to his family and about the All Blacks holding a special place in his heart, and we are genuinely delighted for him,” the coach said.

“We’ve made the mistake in the past of negotiating contracts in a RWC year, and this clarity will allow us all to go full steam ahead with our preparations for this and next season.”

Brown also expressed his gratitude for his time in South Africa, but was most eager to stress his dedication to the Springboks for the remainder of his time with the team.

“My contract with New Zealand Rugby only begins in 2028, so there is still a long road ahead before that comes into play,” said Brown. “Right now, I am fully committed to the Springboks. What we are building and trying to achieve as a team over the next two years is my only focus.”