Rassie Erasmus says that SA Rugby is working on extending Tony Brown\u2019s contract after Jamie Joseph missed out on the All Blacks head coaching job.<\/p>\n
Following the dismissal of Scott Robertson, Brown was quickly linked with a return to New Zealand, possibly joining up with Joseph if he were to be named as his successor.<\/p>\n
The former All Blacks fly-half moved to dispel the rumours, stating that he would honour his commitment to the Springboks<\/a> with his contract expiring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Brown<\/a> added that even if he wasn\u2019t going to do so, there was no exit clause in his contract to allow him to leave.<\/p>\n Erasmus on Brown returning to New Zealand<\/p>\n Last year, Erasmus<\/a> extended his contract through to the 2031 Rugby World Cup in the United States of America, with the statement from SA Rugby confirming that \u2018an announcement on the contract negotiations with other members of the\u00a0Springbok\u00a0coaching team will be made in due course.\u2019<\/p>\n The Boks head coach has made no secret of his desire<\/a> to retain the backroom staff in its current form, which consists of Brown, Jerry Flannery, Felix Jones, Daan Human, Mzwandile Stick, Deon Davids, and Duane Vermeulen.<\/p>\n After being named the SA Rugby Coach of the Year, Erasmus joked that the negotiations will go smoother now that Rennie has been confirmed as the new All Blacks\u2019 head coach, with Joseph missing out.<\/p>\n He did so in an interview with ex-Springboks hooker Hanyani Shimange.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you have a chat with the Deputy President and ask him to take Tony Brown\u2019s passport away so he can\u2019t return to New Zealand?\u201d Shimange jokingly asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are working on Tony,\u201d Erasmus replied.<\/p>\n \u201cLuckily, Dave Rennie got the job and not Jamie Joseph, so we are on a good footing so far.\u201d<\/p>\n Springboks: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu snubbed as Malcom Marx and Ethan Hooker win big at SA Rugby Awards<\/a><\/p>\n Brown addresses his future plans<\/p>\n Brown has a close relationship with Joseph, with the two working together at the Highlanders and Japan. He also aligned with Joseph during his previous bids to become the All Blacks head coach in 2019 and 2023.<\/p>\n He even turned down the advances of New Zealand Rugby during Ian Foster\u2019s tenure and snubbed Scott Robertson. Brown has expressed his desire to coach his country one day but it\u2019s yet to be seen whether he will be open to do so after his stint with the Springboks.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters in Cape Town before the All Blacks announcement was made, he kept his cards close to his chest.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t thought about it to be fair,\u201d he replied when asked about his future.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just going to get through these next two years, I\u2019m fully committed to South Africa until after the World Cups and what will be, will be.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t really thought what I\u2019m going to do after the World Cup. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n