Tony Brown confirms All Blacks return in 2027 as Erasmus hails his 'remarkable difference'

Tony Brown will return to New Zealand Rugby in 2028 after confirming he will see out his SA Rugby contract through next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, ending a four-year stint as Springboks attack coach with the full support of head coach Rassie Erasmus.

The move is an unusual one by NZR’s standards. New Zealand Rugby signed Brown to a two-year deal while he still has 18 months remaining on his existing SA Rugby contract — a sequence of events set in motion when NZR’s new high performance director Don Tricker approached Brown following the upheaval that saw Scott Robertson dismissed from the All Blacks coaching group in January.

Brown had never hidden his ambition to coach the All Blacks, but when Robertson’s exit briefly cast doubt over his commitment to the Springboks, Erasmus was swift and emphatic in reaffirming that Brown would honour his deal. Brown himself said in no uncertain terms that he remained focused on South Africa.

Erasmus this week praised both Brown’s transparency and the tangible impact he has had on the Springbok environment since joining the setup. “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 head coach said.

Erasmus also pointed to lessons learned from previous World Cup cycles. “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.”

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer echoed the sentiment, saying Brown had “made a tremendous contribution to the Springboks and to SA Rugby as a whole” and expressing confidence he would continue to give everything to the team through the World Cup.

Springbok great Victor Matfield welcomed the news from a broader perspective, suggesting Brown’s move will only intensify the rivalry between South Africa and New Zealand, and adding that he is not concerned about any tactical knowledge Brown might carry with him to the All Blacks.

Brown himself was keen to stress that his focus remains squarely on the Springboks for now. “My contract with New Zealand Rugby only begins in 2028, so there is still a long road ahead before that comes into play,” he said. “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.”