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U20

International

Tony Brown reveals Springboks contract situation and All Black rumours

By Henry Lee

46 days ago

South Africa attack coach Tony Brown before the second test between South Africa and Ireland at Kings Park in Durban, South Africa. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Current Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown has revealed his contract situation after rumours of a possible shift back to New Zealand, to coach the All Blacks with one of the possible candidates, Jamie Joseph.

Joseph has been widely reported as one of the leading candidates for the vacant All Blacks coaching role, after New Zealand Rugby Chair David Kirk addressed media in Auckland on Thursday after Scott Robertson’s departure.

Brown, who has been Joseph’s right-hand man in the past, is contracted with the Springboks until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, with negotiations for a new contract reportedly underway between Brown and South Africa.

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus recently inked a new deal with the Springboks up until the 2031 Rugby World Cup, and had spoken publicly about locking down the rest of his assistants.

Brown, speaking to Paul Cully from The Post, confirms that not only is he unable to join the All Blacks as an assistant coach because of his contract, but he also hasn’t been contacted yet by New Zealand Rugby.

“I’m obviously contracted,” Brown told The Post on Monday.

VIDEO

“I don’t have an out of my contract, so I’m back in South Africa [until the Rugby World Cup].

Asked about whether he would be keen on a role with the All Blacks, Brown explains that all of the rumours are just speculation and nothing has really changed.

“Everything’s just speculation. I’m not even sure what New Zealand Rugby’s plans are. No one’s really heard anything,” Brown said.

Like many coaches who have spoken out since Scott Robertson’s departure, Brown said he’s surprised that the organisation has made the move at this current point of the Rugby World Cup cycle.

“I’m very surprised,” the current Springboks assistant said on a report by The Post. “I didn’t think they would do that, especially with no one waiting to take over.

“[It’s] definitely not [going to be easy] for them [to find a replacement], especially without a CEO and high-performance manager, so there’s lots of things for them to get sorted pretty quickly.

“All the [Springboks] coaches have been chatting on chat groups and things like that, so everyone’s pretty surprised and amazed at what’s what’s been happening.”

Comments

62 Comments

JW 45 days ago

Ah bugger! Robinsons worst failure of his reign not encouraging Tony have an out. Shocking CEO good riddance.

JJ 45 days ago

From a mighty BOK supporter: If Tony wants to leave its better he leaves to go help the abs, but after the Boks versus abs series! Personally it makes sense for the players to revolt against Razor! He wanted to include overseas players which would jeopardise their selection in the team and hence they got rid of him! nz made a huge mistake getting rid of Razor and should have give him what he needed to succeed. Thank you nz for being stupid enough to fire Razor and not see the forest from the trees.

JW 45 days ago

lol good one, after singing Mounga, wait I mean Mounga and Frizell.. hold on I mean after bring back Mounga, Frizell and Leicester. I bet all three gave their 2 cents to Kirk he should get rid of Razor!

Hammer Head 46 days ago

has anyone heard from Gatland?

Wayneo 45 days ago

Coaching Georgia. Think he’s safer closer to Russia/Ukraine war than the NZR.

Hammer Head 46 days ago

especially with no one waiting to take over

🔥🥵

BleedRed&Black 46 days ago

The problem with the idea that NZR have already signed someone is that constitutionally they are not allowed to do that. Constitutionally they are obliged to run an open recruitment process for the All Blacks head coaching job. They cannot simply sign someone without doing that. It can just be a formality as it was when Robertson was appointed and when Hanson was appointed in 2011, but it is a process they have to go through.

JW 45 days ago

Surely you mean Foster.

Hammer Head 46 days ago

Is this according to a NZRU constitution?

BleedRed&Black 46 days ago

Again, it’ll be interesting to see if the most deluded of those who supported Robertsons sacking start to have doubts.

Jamie Joseph has confirmed NZR has not talked to him.

There are four other coaches still employed by the NZR, so how exactly NZR are going to clear up their status while conducting interviews for the head coach job is a mystery. Will it be the “winner” of this contest picks who he wants?

As Brown points out, NZR does not have a CEO or a high performance manager. Kirk will be doing everything himself. Someone who has never been involved at a high level in rugby administration will now decide who the next All Blacks coach will be, the single most important operational issue confronting NZR.

At least there will be no mistaking who is accountable.

johnz 45 days ago

You should really look up what the role of a chairman is, BR&B.

JW 45 days ago

The most? Surely you mean the least.

No way the the most deluded is going to have doubts dude.

TokoRFC 46 days ago

Mate you’re being pretty dramatic.

Theres an acting CEO so Kirk isn’t a dictator, there is also the rest of the board and they can always bring people in to consult. Has the high performance manager even left yet? he’ll be involved until he does.

Also Razor agreed it was best he left, there must be a good reason why. Until he writes his biography we’ll never know and people are forning strong opinions purely on speculation.

I do however agree that he was the man for the job at the time and there is plenty to like about what he did. The sad bunch that are kicking him while down need to come off it.

DP 46 days ago

It’s a done deal, it remains to be seen who that person is.

DP 46 days ago

You cannot possibly expect me to think that nobody has already been sounded out and accepted the gig in principal. There is no way NZR would be that daft. Browns not going to save NZ, they don’t have a forward pack to generate quick ball which his style revolves around. No scrum - no lineout and no gain line means no Tonyball. Tony is working in an environment where players respect their coaches so why on earth would he jump ship to work with entitled spoilt prima donnas? You can’t coach heart and desire and that is what NZ is misssing - “gees”

Over the sideline 44 days ago

What garbage from a bias position. Nothing you say makes any sense at all. Try watching test rugby amd you will very quickly see that no team without a decent forward pack, a decent lineout, a decent gain, thats beaten SA, France, England, Ireland, Scotland,Arg, Aus Fiji, Italy in the last 2 years… So basically the top 10 in WR, and remained no 2.

Biases are allowed but forget your BS please

Heart and desire are well and truly part of NZ rigby but I seriouselt question if brain is part of your rugby analysis.

Nickers 45 days ago

This is exactly what SHOULD happen. That is what a process to find the best person would look like.

Both Foster and Robertson were appointed after truncated or non-existent processes where they were just box ticking so that they could hire the person they had already agreed the job with. Both of those coaches had terrible starts to their job, and assistants who are not up top international standard.

If it turns out the job has already been agreed with someone who is going to bring their Super Rugby assistants with them I can tell you exactly what the next two years results will look like.

JW 45 days ago

The All Blacks created the quickest ball of any test nation in their last test against England. They also already have one of the best scrums and lineouts despite being on the improve still. Tony wouldn’t work magic, but he would get the players on side. They need someone they can believe in.

That’s why.

Wayneo 45 days ago

“no way NZR would be that be that daft” 🤣😂🤣😂

Brother, you win the internet today 🏆

Wayneo 45 days ago

Read that Schmidt, Rennie & Umaga were at NZR offices before they pulled the trigger so make of it what you want. ROG acting strange lately also has to be questioned.

GRB13 46 days ago

Accepting a gig in principal counts for jack until you have signed something. “There is no way NZR would be that be that daft” that is highly debatable.

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