Tony Brown to join All Blacks coaching staff after 2027 World Cup
Tony Brown is contracted to the Springboks until after the next World Cup. Photo / Photosport
Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown will join the All Blacks coaching staff – but not until after next year’s Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) today announced the former All Blacks and Highlanders first five-eighth has signed on to join Dave Rennie’s coaching staff as All Blacks assistant coach from 2028 on a two-year contract.
Brown is currently coaching South Africa and is off contract at the conclusion of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
With Brown as an assistant, South Africa handed the All Blacks their heaviest home defeat on record – a 43-10 thrashing in Wellington last September. The two sides will square off four times in 2026 as New Zealand embark on a seven-game tour of the Republic.
“Tony is a world-class coach who is highly regarded and consistently sought after by head coaches and teams around the world,” said NZR CEO Steve Lancaster.
“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.”
When Rennie named his coaching staff in March, he retained just one coach from Scott Robertson’s coaching team – with Jason Ryan (forwards coach) remaining in his role, while Neil Barnes (senior assistant coach), Scotsman Mike Blair (attack coach) and Tana Umaga (defence coach) joined his team.
The decision to appoint Brown was led by incoming NZR high performance director Don Tricker, with Rennie supportive of the appointment, Lancaster said.
“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,” Lancaster added.
In an interview with Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast in January, Brown revealed he had talks to join Scott Robertson’s All Blacks coaching team last year but remained committed to his role in South Africa. At the time he labelled Robertson’s departure as All Blacks coach “bizarre”.
“Pretty bizarre. You know, the timing around what’s happened and no sort of plan going forward and my name 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,” Brown said at the time.
Brown said if he wasn’t committed to his Springboks role he would have been keen to apply for the All Blacks job – which eventually went to Rennie.