Tony Brown to jump ship from Springboks to All Blacks

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has confirmed that Tony Brown will leave his role with South Africa to join the All Blacks coaching setup from 2028 on a two-year deal.

Brown is currently part of the Springboks staff and is contracted through to the end of the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027.

Brown’s move formalises a return to NZ following his on-going stint on Rassie Erasmus’ coaching ticket. The former All Blacks fly-half is expected to slot into the national setup more or less immediately after the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia next year.

NZR CEO Steve Lancaster said: “Tony is a world-class coach who is highly regarded and consistently sought after by head coaches and teams around the world.

“We know Tony is available after the 2027 Rugby World Cup and he’s made it clear he would love to be part of the All Blacks. This decision is simple, it’s about ensuring the best coaches return to New Zealand.

“It’s for the All Blacks Head Coach to shape the structure and portfolios of their coaching team and we have every confidence that Tony is a high-quality addition when he joins in 2028.”

The appointment was led by incoming NZR High Performance Director Don Tricker, who will begin his own role full-time as of November 2026.

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie was involved throughout the process and is understood to be supportive of the decision.

Lancaster added: “One of Don’s roles is to lead the appointments of our national team coaches. As part of that we have agreed with Dave we will discuss the process for the All Blacks Head Coach role no later than the conclusion of the 2027 Rugby Championship.

“For now, Dave and his coaching team are absolutely focused on what’s in front of them and we look forward to challenging ourselves against Tony and the Springboks in the coming months.”