The South African verdict on Bok whisperer assistant coach Tony Brown

Former Springboks flyhalf Naas Botha has credited Tony Brown with bringing “quite a bit to the table” in terms of transforming South Africa into an attacking juggernaut.

The former All Blacks first five is a renown attack specialist who for years worked under Jamie Joseph, orchestrating Japan’s rise to Rugby World Cup quarter-finalists in 2019.

After a stint as Highlanders head coach, Brown took up a role within the Springboks coaching setup in 2024, where they have put up some of their biggest scores in Test rugby in the Erasmus era.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus gives an insight into his plans for 2026, a year that will see his team face mostly Tier One opposition

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus gives an insight into his plans for 2026, a year that will see his team face mostly Tier One opposition

Botha said from the outside looking in you could tell that Brown has made a difference in changing how the Boks play. The Kiwi coach has become a ‘Bok whisperer’ of sorts, getting the team to successfully try new methods.

“It’s difficult to give an answer that might make sense, because you don’t know how they coach, because you’re not in their inner circles,” Botha told DSPN.

“But from the outside, you can see there’s a difference in attitude from the players.

“You can see there’s a difference in the way we’re playing, the way we’re thinking. So I would say somewhere along the line, Tony gave some fantastic advice to Rassie regarding, sometimes let’s try this, let’s do it this way.

“Maybe some selections. He might even play a part there to say, if we want to get the ball (on the) outside, we need these kind of players.

“So I think in a big picture sort of scenario, I think Tony brought quite a bit to the table for Springbok rugby.”

Of significance to Botha was the fact that Erasmus had given Brown the chance to add to Springbok rugby, labelling him a “picky guy” that was hard to have authority under.

“I love that because if you take big companies, 99% the boss appoints somebody that thinks like him,” said Botha.

“I think that’s where Rassie is actually getting it right, is to get somebody that’s thinking totally differently. And I think that’s quite important; is you don’t want only yes guys around you.

“I think Rassie also grew over the years into accepting other guys can contribute to the betterment of the team, to the betterment of the squad, to rugby knowledge, because he’s quite a picky guy.”