A trio of All Blacks legends are hopeful that New Zealand Rugby can bring Tony Brown home, but admit they face a huge challenge to prize him away from the Springboks.<\/p>\n
The search is no doubt already underway for their next coaching team after the governing body decided to axe Scott Robertson.<\/p>\n
Highlanders boss Jamie Joseph is the favourite to take the role until the end of the Rugby World Cup, but that could depend on whether his regular partner in crime, Tony Brown, is available.<\/p>\n
Those two have worked well together over the years but, with Brown currently contracted to the Springboks<\/a>, the NZR could find it difficult to bring him back to New Zealand.<\/p>\n Joe Schmidt<\/a> is another potential option for the All Blacks<\/a> head coach position, but Justin Marshall, Jeff Wilson and Mils Muliaina believe that Joseph is being lined up.<\/p>\n Brown \u2018would love to coach the All Blacks\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be hard to believe he\u2019s (Joseph) not the guy they\u2019ve targeted to take over and they will be hoping they can lure Tony Brown back from the Springboks,\u201d Wilson said on The Breakdown.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI would be surprised if Tony hasn\u2019t left a door open. I know that he was offering to help the Highlanders in the early part of this season and South African rugby were happy for him to do that.<\/p>\n \u201cIt didn\u2019t quite work out for other reasons but in the back of his mind, I think he\u2019s looked at it and gone, \u2018I would love to coach the All Blacks with Jamie Joseph\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThis may have come a couple of years sooner than he thought, he may have been thinking post-Rugby World Cup, but it\u2019s come now.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know that but I would be surprised if he hasn\u2019t got an out. I know he loves coaching and I think he would love to coach the All Blacks.\u201d<\/p>\n Marshall then had his say, adding: \u201cI think that would be his ultimate ambition and goal but I would imagine they\u2019ve got him in concrete over there with the All Blacks coming this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThey would have locked him in and from all accounts having spoken to him, he\u2019s in a great environment and he loves what he\u2019s doing.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would take something really significant to move him on and the All Blacks are significant, so there could be a possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n The MAJOR impact Scott Robertson\u2019s All Blacks exit could have on Rassie Erasmus\u2019 Springboks<\/a><\/p>\n Joseph is highly regarded in New Zealand and there were perhaps signs that the governing body were putting a contingency plan in place when he took charge of the second-string All Blacks XV on their November tour.<\/p>\n The 56-year-old did a fine job during that month as they claimed three successive victories over the Barbarians, England A and Uruguay, and he might have done enough to convince the hierarchy that he is ready to step into Robertson\u2019s shoes.<\/p>\n \u201cJamie\u2019s the most likely candidate having gone away with that All Blacks XV, so it\u2019s kind of a stepping stone there and by all accounts that was a really harmonious trip really enjoyed by the players,\u201d Marshall said.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, the other coaches that come into the mix are coaches that are outside of New Zealand \u2013 Clayton McMillan is one, Dave Rennie another. That\u2019s having to bring people back into the environment and reset them.<\/p>\n \u201cWith one two years out from this World Cup, it would have to be a massive favourite towards Jamie because he\u2019s here and he\u2019s doing it now.\u201d<\/p>\n