Rassie Erasmus has reaffirmed that Tony Brown is committed to his role as the Springboks\u2019 attack coach until at least the 2027 Rugby World Cup but admitted that he is unsure whether he will be staying on beyond the global showpiece in Australia.<\/p>\n
After the axing of All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson earlier this month, there was plenty of speculation over the future of New Zealander Brown, who has been part of South Africa\u2019s backroom team since 2024.<\/p>\n
Highlanders and All Blacks XV coach Jamie Joseph has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Robertson.<\/p>\n
Brown<\/a> previously worked closely with Joseph at the Highlanders and with Japan, which led to talk in New Zealand of a possible reunion between the duo.<\/p>\n Brown committed to the Springboks until 2027 World Cup<\/p>\n However, Brown shut down speculation last week when he revealed that he is contracted to the Springboks<\/a> until the 2027 World Cup in Australia and is committed to honouring that deal as he has no break clause in his contract that will enable him to join the All Blacks set-up.<\/p>\n Erasmus<\/a> explained that he made sure to have all of his coaching staff committed to the Boks cause for a four-year period after they lost the services of former head coach Jacques Nienaber<\/a> to Irish province Leinster shortly after they won the 2023 World Cup in France.<\/p>\n He said that and a previous experience at a global showpiece means he is hoping to have his assistant coaches\u2019 futures secured beyond 2027.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the big thing is our experience from previous World Cups,\u201d said the Springboks head coach. \u201cI was part of the 2007 World Cup planning there and then you know if you don\u2019t win the World Cup, are you gonna have a job the next year or not.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, with Rian\u2019s (Oberholzer) help and obviously everybody that\u2019s involved in the protocols here (at SA Rugby), you sort of don\u2019t want the World Cup year being (a time where) people are unsure about whether they have a job next year.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean Jacques Nienaber was a classic example so the big thing with us was everybody signed until 2027.\u201d<\/p>\n Tony Brown position \u2018very clear\u2019 as SA Rugby to \u2018finalise\u2019 talks with Rassie Erasmus\u2019 Springboks assistants<\/a><\/p>\n Erasmus admitted that he was somewhat annoyed with the speculation over Brown\u2019s future but is happy that he will still be part of the Springboks for the next two years.<\/p>\n \u2018Just a bit frustrating\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just a bit frustrating with people suggesting there was a possibility that he would leave prior to finishing his contract,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a brief chat, and I asked Tony if everything was still the same, and he said, \u2018Of course, my contract is until 2027, and I am committed here\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would love to keep him longer than 2027, but I don\u2019t know when New Zealand will make him an offer or if they will make him an offer.<\/p>\n \u201cBut he won\u2019t be leaving us before 2027.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve put offers out to critical positions in our management team to get some calm around their jobs after next year.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are obviously performance clauses for doing well in there.<\/p>\n \u201cTony will be here until 2027; we want to keep him longer. But he has also been honest and said that he would love to coach New Zealand.\u201d<\/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