In the swirling vortex of rugby coaching dramas, Tony Brown has firmly stated his commitment to the Springboks despite the upheaval in the All Blacks camp following Scott Robertson's recent sacking. While the rumor mill churns out speculation about Brown's potential return to New Zealand, especially with Jamie Joseph possibly stepping in as head coach, Brown has reiterated his dedication to his current role under Rassie Erasmus in South Africa.
During a candid interview with NewsTalk ZB, Brown expressed his astonishment at the timing of Robertson’s dismissal. "Yeah, it’s pretty bizarre, the timing around what’s happened, and no sort of plan going forward," Brown commented. He further clarified, "My name is getting thrown in there plenty, but no one’s really talked to me. So I’ve always just been going back to South Africa to finish my contract, and happily so."
Despite the allure of coaching his home nation, Brown has disclosed that he was approached by Robertson late last year to consider a role, coinciding with Jason Holland’s exit. However, he chose not to break his ongoing contract with South Africa. "I don’t have an ‘out’ in my contract with SA Rugby," Brown confirmed in an interview with The Post. His frustration was palpable when he reflected on missed opportunities, "I’ve even talked to Razor a couple of months ago about potentially joining the All Blacks, but it’s like I said to him, my commitment to South Africa was for four years, and I’ve always wanted to honour that."
"100% yes, I would have bitten someone’s hand off to work with the All Blacks two years ago, and in the future, it’s definitely something I want to do."
As for the selection process that saw Robertson initially secure the All Blacks role over Jamie Joseph, Brown offered his perspective, "It was definitely the Scott Robertson team versus Jamie Joseph’s team. That’s the process that New Zealand Rugby set up." He added, reflecting on his past collaboration with Joseph at the Highlanders and Japan, "Who knows? With me being with Jamie, Scott potentially didn’t want to take me as well."
Rassie Erasmus's call came at a pivotal time for Brown, presenting him with a choice between returning to Japan, exploring an opportunity with Argentina, or joining the Springboks. "Then I was stuck, either looking at going back to Japan, and there’s a little opportunity with Argentina, and then Rassie gave me a call around South Africa. I played under Rassie for the Stormers and knew him as a coach," Brown reminisced. The decision to stay with the Springboks was influenced by Erasmus's impressive track record and the opportunity to learn from one of rugby's respected strategists.
As the saga unfolds and the rugby world watches, Tony Brown's story is a testament to the complex interplay of loyalty, ambition, and timing in the high-stakes world of international rugby coaching.
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In the swirling vortex of rugby coaching dramas, Tony Brown has firmly stated his commitment to the Springboks despite the upheaval in the All Blacks camp following Scott Robertson's recent sacking. While the rumor mill churns out speculation about Brown's potential return to New Zealand, especially with Jamie Joseph possibly stepping in as head coach, Brown has reiterated his dedication to his current role under Rassie Erasmus in South Africa.
During a candid interview with NewsTalk ZB, Brown expressed his astonishment at the timing of Robertson’s dismissal. "Yeah, it’s pretty bizarre, the timing around what’s happened, and no sort of plan going forward," Brown commented. He further clarified, "My name is getting thrown in there plenty, but no one’s really talked to me. So I’ve always just been going back to South Africa to finish my contract, and happily so."
Despite the allure of coaching his home nation, Brown has disclosed that he was approached by Robertson late last year to consider a role, coinciding with Jason Holland’s exit. However, he chose not to break his ongoing contract with South Africa. "I don’t have an ‘out’ in my contract with SA Rugby," Brown confirmed in an interview with The Post. His frustration was palpable when he reflected on missed opportunities, "I’ve even talked to Razor a couple of months ago about potentially joining the All Blacks, but it’s like I said to him, my commitment to South Africa was for four years, and I’ve always wanted to honour that."
"100% yes, I would have bitten someone’s hand off to work with the All Blacks two years ago, and in the future, it’s definitely something I want to do."
As for the selection process that saw Robertson initially secure the All Blacks role over Jamie Joseph, Brown offered his perspective, "It was definitely the Scott Robertson team versus Jamie Joseph’s team. That’s the process that New Zealand Rugby set up." He added, reflecting on his past collaboration with Joseph at the Highlanders and Japan, "Who knows? With me being with Jamie, Scott potentially didn’t want to take me as well."
Rassie Erasmus's call came at a pivotal time for Brown, presenting him with a choice between returning to Japan, exploring an opportunity with Argentina, or joining the Springboks. "Then I was stuck, either looking at going back to Japan, and there’s a little opportunity with Argentina, and then Rassie gave me a call around South Africa. I played under Rassie for the Stormers and knew him as a coach," Brown reminisced. The decision to stay with the Springboks was influenced by Erasmus's impressive track record and the opportunity to learn from one of rugby's respected strategists.
As the saga unfolds and the rugby world watches, Tony Brown's story is a testament to the complex interplay of loyalty, ambition, and timing in the high-stakes world of international rugby coaching.