Former All Blacks fly-half Tony Brown has criticised New Zealand Rugby\u2019s handling of Scott Robertson\u2019s exit.<\/p>\n
Currently employed as the Springboks assistant coach, running the team\u2019s attack, Brown<\/a> has been tipped for a return to his home country amid speculation as to who will be Robertson\u2019s successor.<\/p>\n While he has emphatically stated that he will honour his contract<\/a> with SA Rugby and remain with Rassie Erasmus\u2019 coaching team through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he admits that he maintains the dream of coaching the All Blacks<\/a> one day. In fact, he revealed that he rejected an offer from Robertson late last year.<\/p>\n All Blacks \u2018not on track\u2019 verdict<\/p>\n It was a rather unprecedented move from NZ Rugby to remove their head coach mid-way through his coaching contract, with the union\u2019s chairman David Kirk stating that the extensive review clearly indicated that the team was not on track for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a clear initial hypothesis that things were not on track,\u201d he told reporters on the day of the announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we needed to talk to the head coach in particular and others about that before we jumped to a final conclusion, but yes, the review did give us a clear direction.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown believes that the All Blacks were tracking \u2018okay\u2019 overall and added that the decision to sack Robertson has created \u2018a massive situation\u2019 in what is a big year for international rugby.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone says, leadership starts from the top, and I suppose New Zealand Rugby Union has got to show the way there,\u201d he told NewsTalk ZB<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure about what happened within the All Black environment \u2013 they didn\u2019t seem as though they were playing overly poorly. There were a few up and down results, but they seemed like they were tracking okay.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so then, to just pull stumps and get rid of the head coach has put them in a pretty massive situation around for getting ready for 2026, which is going to be a massive year not only for the All Blacks but for World Rugby and there as a whole with the new Nations Championship that they are running.\u201d<\/p>\n Tony Brown reveals Scott Robertson\u2019s desperate late attempt before All Blacks sacking<\/a><\/p>\n Player and coach fall out<\/p>\n Prior to the announcement, reports stated that Ardie Savea was one of the senior players who were \u2018seriously unhappy\u2019 with Robertson<\/a>, and there was a claim that he threatened to sign a deal to remain in Japan or even in the northern hemisphere \u2013 effectively ending his international career for the time being.<\/p>\n There were further indications that not all was well in the All Blacks\u2019 set-up, with Leon MacDonald vacating his position over disagreements with the head coach, while Jason Holland also left his role at the end of last year\u2019s international season.<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n After revealing that he was approached by Robertson, presumably to replace Holland, Brown was asked whether he\u2019d think he would have had issues working alongside the ex-Crusaders boss.<\/p>\n \u201cRazor and I sort of grew up in New Zealand, age-grade teams and the All Blacks together. We were always quite good mates in those teams, but I\u2019ve never really coached with him,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really have a great insight around how he coaches, but for me personally, I would have thought I could coach with anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cI love the game, I love the All Blacks, I love being innovative in around rugby and I love showing up to training and trying to make teams better.<\/p>\n \u201cI would have thought I could coach with anyone, so it wouldn\u2019t have been a massive issue for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Sack Ardie Savea!\u2019 \u2013 Outspoken pundit calls for All Blacks star to follow Scott Robertson out the door after \u2018blackmailing\u2019 NZ Rugby<\/a><\/p>\n