Rassie Erasmus has moved to clarify the future of Springbok attack coach Tony Brown while also expressing sympathy for Scott Robertson.
The Bok coach confirmed that Brown, a former All Blacks flyhalf, remains fully committed to South Africa until the end of his contract in 2027, despite being open about his ambitions to one day coach New Zealand.
“Before Tony joined us, I asked him if he wanted to coach the All Blacks and he was honest and said yes,” Erasmus told rugby writers in Cape Town on Monday.
“It was a bit frustrating when people started saying there was a possibility that he could leave us before his contract expired.
“We had a quick chat and asked him if things were still the same. He said, ‘Of course, my contract is until 2027 and I’m committed to it.
“I don’t know if New Zealand will make him an offer, but he won’t leave us before 2027. We would like to keep him longer, but he’s also honest and says he has the ambition to coach the All Blacks.”
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SA Rugby recently extended Erasmus’ contract through to the 2031 World Cup in the USA, and CEO Rian Oberholzer confirmed the Springbok assistant coaches had all been offered similar contract extensions, with talks in progress.
Since joining the Boks in 2024, Brown has played a key role in reshaping South Africa’s attacking approach, with Erasmus crediting him for adding greater creativity and efficiency to their game.
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Erasmus, meanwhile, also weighed in on NZ Rugby’s decision to part ways with Robertson, describing him as a “great” coach.
“He won numerous Super Rugby titles,” Erasmus said. “Sometimes it’s challenging when you step into a new culture. It’s always going to be difficult to coach a team like the Al Blacks where the expectations are so high.”
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